1 Introduction

Business English can be regarded as an application of English language in commercial occasions, aiming at enabling speakers to communicate and interact effectively using the most correct and clearest business language. Business English Correspondence is an important carrier of international commercial activities which is used to deli ever information, address commercial issues and as a way of communication.

Lexicon is an important factor of a passage. In the writing of business English

correspondence, we should pay particular attention to the selection of lexicon. Different words may carry different meaning and even the mood of them can be very distinct. Therefore, it is of great necessity to do research of the features of lexicon in the writing of business English correspondence.

This thesis attempts to do some researches on the following subjects: To have a good knowledge of characteristics of lexicon in business English correspondence. To make sense of the reason why the business English correspondence have such requirements of lexicon. To provide some suggestions that learners can improve their writing skills.

2 Description of Business English correspondence

2.1 Definition of business English correspondence

Nowadays more and more people choose to work in companies and do commercial work. As China joined the WTO, enterprises are all choosing to open their markets and expand them into the international world, thus making English inevitably become the most used language in the world. And in this way a new subject appeared that we call it “business English”. In terms of business English, we refer to the language used in order to adapt to the job market whose contents include a lot of aspects (Kansi, 1983; 134). Unlike the general English learners, people who learn business English are more targeted and specialized.

Business correspondence means the act of communicating by means of correspondences or the correspondences between correspondents (曹菱, 2000; 87). It is the main way for traders to do business, exchange commercial information and consult

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and give answers to commercial questions in international trade. Besides, it is a reflection of different cultures, social backgrounds and representative of interests of both parties of a trading activity. Business English correspondences is different from personal correspondences, for it is more formal and can be a legal document for both enterprises to do business transaction and deal with commercial disputes. This is a serious problem that business English correspondence writers should pay attention to.

Different from the state correspondence or personal correspondences, business English correspondences has its own characteristics both in the article style and language (Ober, 1998; 98). In particular, it is high demanded of the correctness and standards of language. The business correspondence should be clear, concise, concrete, and of courtesy in language.

2.2 Assortment of business English correspondence

It can categorize business correspondences into three kinds. They are as follows: The first kind is in accordance with the letters’ content. We have invitation letters, selling letters, employing letters, and etc. In terms of the role the business letters plays in commercial activities of enterprises, we have negotiating letters which aims at address a dispute, friendly letters which is used to keep a friendly touch with another company, and etc. The last is the correspondence, which is used to give some information .The information may be good or bad.

In a word, we can classify the business correspondences from different perspectives just as the way mentioned above. Sometimes, each kind is not so isolated from others. Besides we have mentioned above, there are also many kinds of business English correspondences such as letters for setting up business relationships, conclusion of business, sales contract or confirmation, sales promotion, order and fulfillment, products shipment, shipping advice, insurance, claim, asking for an agent, processing trade, compensation trade, and etc.

2.3 Function of business English correspondence

Today it has come into an information society with the development of information

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technology and the Internet. Business English correspondences plays an important part in international trading activities due to its courtesy, completeness, conciseness and other good features in order to obtain and deliver information, make effective communication, address related issues in commercial activities and maintain good and normal operating relations. Business correspondence means the act of communicating by means of letters or the letters, which pass between correspondents (曹菱, 2000; 76) .It is the main way for traders to do business, exchange commercial information and consult and give answers to commercial questions in international trade. Besides, it is a reflection of different cultures, social backgrounds and representative of interests of both parties of a trading activity. Business English letters is different from personal letters, for it is more formal and can be a legal document for both enterprises to do business transaction and deal with commercial disputes. All in all, we summarized its function as follows: First, it can improve the working efficiency of foreign trade and reduce the cost. Second, it helps enterprises to seek more new clients and deepen their relations with the companies. Third, the business English letters can promote the foreign trade economy. And finally it is bound to play an important role in fulfilling the globalization of trade.

3 Basic writing principles for business correspondence

3.1 Politeness

Being polite is an important principle in business circles. A polite correspondence can help you win others’ will. Therefore, it is appropriate to use more frequently words such as “please”, “I will be highly appreciated that...”, It is our pleasure to…” and etc. There are inevitably conflicts and disputes in business transactions. And it is politeness that can function as a lubricant to break deadlocks. When doing compensation, making complaints, and refusing to accept some requests, business English correspondences’ writers must be more polite and try to use words not so imperative. When responding to others’ correspondences, the writers shall also use polite words no matter how bad the attitude of the other party is. First, the writers should be good at using passive sentences, which can make your words more temperate. For example, the sentence“You made a very

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careless mistake” may be better if it is changed into “ A very careless mistake was made”. Second, the writers should be good at using question sentences to show politeness and euphemism and conditional sentences to make your recommendations sounds more tentative and euphemistic.

3.2 Conciseness and Completeness

Emphatic and descriptive words are good ways to make business English correspondence more effective. Writers can choose abbreviated words in foreign trade fields that are familiar to people. Besides, the sentence structure should be concise and simple. Writers should use more words to replace complex sentences and try to maintain the completeness and make sentences more concise (Baugh, 1986; 39). For instance,“As what you have requested...”can be simplified into “As requested...”.

Moreover, it is a key factor to keep the completeness of information. Some words used in our daily life such as “the above mentioned”,“the former”,“respectively”should not be used in business correspondences as much as possible. Make sure provide complete information to let the other party be clear at the first glance.

3.3 Clearness, Concreteness and Correctness

Clearness is the most important principle in business English correspondence. An unclear correspondence may cause misunderstanding and ambiguous and even trading loss. Therefore, writers should pay attention to select correct words and make your sentences structure is absolutely right.

In business English correspondences writing, the information that is delivered should be concrete and vivid to avoid the risk of ambiguity. Correctness not only requires that grammar, syntax, and marks and spelling be right, but the commercial technical terms should be represented appropriately. The communicative effects will be greatly damaged if mistakes are made in spelling, person, punctuation marks, tense, and etc. Besides, writers should use more formal words. For example, abbreviations as “I’ll”, “we’re” should not be used.

4 Lexicon and writing principles of business correspondence

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