Business correspondence: main rules and the specifics of translation

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The National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine

Business correspondence: main rules and the specifics of translation

O.M. Turitsina, Assistant

Abstract

The article discusses the issue of business correspondence, its rules and etiquette, which is highly important in modern world as a great number or e-mails and business letters are sent and received every day throughout the world. So, the ability to correspond in business sphere is a crucial skill for the employees of multinational companies as well as for those who communicate internationally in different fields. It also concerns the cross-cultural aspect of organizing and translating business letters taking into consideration the key role of international communication due to the growing globalization of our society, and a lot of attention is paid to the national differences and peculiarities we may face while establishing contacts with foreign colleagues and partners. It analyses numerous studies and articles written by linguists, interpreters as well as by business coaches who, basing on their research and experience give advice and suggest solutions to different challenges we may face in this sphere. The article focuses on the different issues, such as the language and style, the structure and layout, the peculiarities and difficulties of translation, the things which should be avoided and are inappropriate in business letters. A lot of advice with numerous examples are given in order to avoid misinterpreting when it comes to cross-culture communication as well as embarrassing mistakes and those mistakes, which may have serious professional consequences. The article focuses six different problematic areas in business letter translation. These include: lexical-semantic problems; grammar; syntax; rhetoric; and pragmatic and cultural problems. The information must be interesting and useful for those who deals with business communication on international level as well as career coaches and business consultants in order to provide them with advice appropriately and help to improve and systemize necessary knowledge and skills to handle business correspondence successfully.

Keywords: business correspondence, appropriate, specifics of translation, recipient, misinterpreting.

Анотація

ДІЛОВЕ ЛИСТУВАННЯ: ОСНОВНІ ПРАВИЛА ТА СПЕЦИФІКА ПЕРЕКЛАДУ Туріцина О. М.

В статті обговорюється питання ділового листування, його правила та етикет, загальноприйняті правила переписки та питання які можуть призвести до непорозуміння, що є надзвичайно важливим у сучасному світі, оскільки ділове листування є невід'ємною частиною встановлення, підтримання та розвитку міжнародних контактів у багатьох сферах, від дипломатичних відносин до співпраці у вузьких галузях. Відомо, що в наші дні будь-які контакти супроводжуються діловою кореспонденцією, електронними листами, заявами, запрошеннями, листами згоди та відмови, додатками до договорів тощо. Стаття також торкається міжкультурного аспекту організації та перекладу ділових листів, беручи до уваги ключову роль ділового спілкування завдяки поширенню глобалізації в нашому суспільстві з врахуванням національної автентичності кожного учасника ділових міжнародних стосунків. Аналізуються численні праці та статті, написані лінгвістами ,перекладачами, а також бізнес-тренерами, які спираючись на свої дослідження та досвід, розглядають питання, що найчастіше виникають та потребують роз'яснення, дають поради та пропонують рішення щодо складнощів, з якими ми зустрічаємося в цій сфері. Стаття сфокусована на різних питаннях, таких як: мова і різні стилі для використання в кореспонденції, структура, особливості і складнощі перекладу в діловому листуванні зумовлені різними культурними традиціями та підходами, речі, яких слід уникати та які є неприйнятними. Також приділяється увага саме написанню та оформленню ділової переписки у відповідності до правил етикету, політкоректності та простої ввічливості Інформація має зацікавити тих, хто має справу з діловим листуванням на міжнародному рівні, вона, також може допомогти покращити знання та навички, які стосуються цього виду спілкування, і, таким чином, уникнути можливих негативних наслідків через недостатнє знання норм і прави, а навпаки посприяти успіхам в професійній діяльності та крос-культурній комунікації.

Ключові слова: ділове листування, загальноприйнятий, специфіка перекладу, отримувач, неправильна трактовка.

Introduction

These days we spend about a quarter of the workweek dealing with the hundreds of emails we all send and receive every day. But despite this fact some career coaches and business consultants say plenty of professionals still don't know how to use email appropriately.

Recent researches and publications. Numerous studies are dedicated to define the rules of business correspondence and analyse the problems of its translation into another language. The issues of style and language appropriate for business letters are paid significant attention by Said M. Shiyab and Sonia Halimi [7] who study the positive and negative notions in bussines correspondance like redundancy, clarity, straightforwardness and other. Also, they pay a lot of attention to the problem or writing across the cultures and cultural differences as well as to the specifics of translating some grammar structures and vocabulary peculiarities. The style and organization of a successful business letter were discussesed by Peter Lipton [6] and Ayn Rand [1] whereas Ulla M. Connor [9] dedicated her studies to show the aspect of cross culture correspondence and translation. Many authors, such as Tracy Bowens [8], Paul Soltoff [4] and Christa Haynes [2] focused on studying the rules and etiquette of business correspondence.

The purpose of this article is to identify rules of business correspondence and analyze the special features of its translation into another language.

Data and methods. The research data base on the numerous studies, articles and books on the topic. It also includes the systemizing and careful analysis of the material.

Results

In fact, because of the huge volume of messages we're reading and writing every day, we are likely to make embarrassing mistakes and those mistakes, which may have serious professional consequences. So, everybody should take into consideration the most essential rules to know.

Include a clear, direct subject line. Examples of a good subject line include "Meeting date changed," "Quick question about your visit," or "Suggestions for the presentation. People often decide whether to open an email based on the subject line, Choose one that lets readers know you are addressing their concerns or business issues.

Use a professional email address. If you are employed, you preferably should use your company email address. But if you use a personal email account, you should be careful when choosing that address, You should always have an email address that conveys your name so that the recipient knows exactly who is sending the email. Never use email addresses that are not appropriate for use in the workplace, At least you sound non-professional. Your address and the subject line should be identifiable and reflect your business or professional status. For example, if you are sending email to clients, it should be "johndoe mybusiness.com" instead of "doeguy1987 bigmail.com."

Tell the recipient why you are writing.A well- written business letter begins with a single sentence explaining why you are writing. Tell the recipient what and how many documents you are attaching and why you are including them. You should begin with phrases such as “I am enclosing my resume for the position of assistant manager,” or “Attached is the outline of my presentation [8, p.1-2].

Use appropriate salutations and greetings. Don't use laid-back, colloquial expressions like "Hey you guys," or "Hi." Any topic of our writings should not affect the salutation in an email. Use “Hello” instead, wich is rather neutral. You also should be careful about shortening anyone's name unless you're certain they are not against. For example, it is acceptable to address a person by first name in business letters if they sent correspondence to you and signed it using the first name. This is an indication that you can use a more informal approach. While many professionals prefer to maintain some semblance of past etiquette, others are in favor of a more familiar and quick greeting, or even skip it altogether. The bottom line is that the proper salutation really depends on who you are sending the email to and what kind of relationship you have or expect to have.

You'll always be safe with “Dear,” followed by the name of the person you're addressing, according to a Forbes article. Use a first name if you've been previously introduced or have an informal relationship in place. Use Mr. or Ms. when you are addressing a superior, the tone of the email is strictly professional, or when you are approaching the recipient for the first time. "To Whom It May Concern"is also an option.

On the other hand, avoid being too formal. Your business letter writing should not include too formal phrases like “Please find enclosed ...” While it's not grammatically incorrect, that type of formal written language is used mostly in academic journals, official documents and places where an increased level of seriousness is required. As a general rule, avoid overly formal language in your everyday business correspondence and email [2, p. 3].

Use exclamation points in moderation. If you choose to use an exclamation point, use only one to convey excitement, People sometimes put a number of exclamation points at the end of their sentences. The result can appear too emotional or immature. Do not use the abbreviations which are common for text messages as well. Avoid emoticons, computer slang and caps lock. If you have doubts about the content or format, try printing it on letterhead and evaluating its professionalism. If it doesn't seem professional on paper, it is not professional in an email.

Be careful with humor. Humor can easily get lost in translation without the right tone or facial expressions. In a professional exchange, it's better to leave humor out of emails unless you know the recipient well. Also, something that you think is funny might not be funny to someone else. Something perceived as funny when spoken may come across very differently when written. Just as jokes get lost in translation, tone is easy to misinterpret without the context you'd get from vocal cues and facial expressions. Do not use an email to resolve a business issue that should be handled in person. Avoid email confrontations, and remember that emails live forever on hard drives and servers and can be used in court. To avoid misunderstandings, read your message out loud before hitting send. If it sounds harsh to you, it will sound harsh to the reader, do not forget this simple rule. Do not use negative words and keep polite using "please" and "thank you." [6, p. 2]

Also, do not forget that people from different cultures speak and write differently.

Misinterpreting can easily occur because of cultural differences, especially in the writing form when we can't see one another's body language. Adapt your message to the receiver's cultural background. In many Asian countries, for example people want to get to know you before doing business with you. Therefore, it may be common for business associates from these countries to be more personal in their writings. On the other hand, people from most western countries prefer to get to the point very quickly [9, p. 103].

Keep your fonts colors, and sizes classic for business correspondence. Your emails should be easy for other people to read. Generally, it is best to use 10- or 12-point type and an easy-to-read font such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. As for colour, black is the safest choice.

Reread every message. Your mistakes won't go unnoticed by the recipients of your email. And, depending upon the recipient, you may be judged for making them. Don't rely on spellcheckers. Read and reread your email a few times, preferably aloud, before sending it off.

Nothing is confidential, so write accordingly. Every electronic message leaves a trail. Assume that others will see what you write, so don't write anything you anything that would be ruinous to you or hurtful to others. After all, email is dangerously easy to forward, and it's better to be safe than sorry.

Avoid rambling in business emails. If you must include many details, create a document for them and attach it instead of putting them in the body of the email. Formatting is critical when sending a business email. The file name of the attachment should be related to your email. Include your name, a short description of the subject and the date of the email. If there is more than one page to your attachment, indicate that as well. Attach photos efficiently: If you are sending photos, make sure you crop your photos to show only what is relevant and in a small-or-mediumsize that will download quickly on your recipient's computer or device.

Include a signature block. Provide your reader with some information about you, Generally, this would state your full name, title, the company name, and your contact information, including a phone number. You also can add a little publicity for yourself, but avoid overdoing it. Use the same font, type size, and color as the rest of the email. Make the closing professional with "Thank You" or "Sincerely." A scanned or otherwise electronically formatted signature is acceptable.

Double-check that you've selected the correct recipient. Pay careful attention when typing a name from your address book on the emails "to" line. It's easy to select the wrong name, which can be embarrassing to you and to the person who receives the email by mistake. Also, it's a good idea to add the email address last. To avoid sending an email accidentally before you have finished writing and reread the message, even when you are replying to a letter, it's a good precaution to delete the recipient's address and insert it only when you are sure the message is ready to be sent [3]. business correspondence translation

Think twice before hitting “Reply All”. No one wants to read emails from 20 people that have nothing to do with them. Ignoring the emails can be difficult, with many people getting notifications of new messages on their smartphones or distracting pop-up messages on their computer screens. Avoid hitting “Reply All” unless you really think everyone on the list needs to receive the email.

But, on the other hand, being tempted to ignore an email, reply to your letters - even if the email wasn't intended for you.

It's difficult to reply to every email message ever sent to you, but you should try to. This includes when the email was accidentally sent to you, especially if the sender is expecting a reply. A reply isn't necessary but serves as good email etiquette, especially if this person works in the same company or industry as you.

It is necessary to mention, that even following all the rules of business correspondence etiquette you may face another challenge: difficulties with translation across languages. The use of good English in writing business letters goes far beyond the writers' ability to cope with the technical forms of the language. It is also their cogent transfer of ideas and thoughts that counts most.

One of the negative aspects of effective writing is lack of variation within the text. Choice of appropriate words, their synonyms and word variations can make the message easy and at the same time enjoyable to read.

Another negative aspect is redundancy, which involves the unnecessary provision of information. It also involves repetition, using similar words. Redundancy should be avoided in writing business letters because it leads to boredom and monotony.

Among the positive aspects the most important one is clarity. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, clarity is regarded as the quality of being clear so readers find the sentence or text easy to follow and understand. Any successful communication must be based on clarity of message and clarity of purpose. Also you should know another key component of being able to interpret your ideas successfully. It is called cohesion. In writing, cohesion is the quality in writing which makes a text connected. Each part of the text is connected with another and therefore creates unity among the parts of the text. When sentences relate to one another, it is because of the unity that exists among them [7, p.10-11].

One of the characteristics of good business writing is straightforwardness and simplicity. At the spoken level, straightforwardness and simplicity can help listeners follow the speaker. At the writing level, it can lead to effective communication, which does not come from vagueness and ambiguity, confusing words and phrases or technical jargon, but it often results from the use of simple words. Remember that while readers may have the ability to understand what is written, it is your responsibility to ensure that the reader does not struggle with the concepts or ideas.

Common knowledge also must be considered. It can be defined as the information assumed by both sides. This may include information about one's city, country, and other countries' values and traditions as well. As it was said above, cultural differences may cause misinterpreting. It is wrong to assume that all the readers share the same kind of information with you. Therefore, when writing about a particular subject, assume that readers may or may not have knowledge of what they are writing about. It is your responsibility to write clearly, assuming no prior knowledge on the part of the reader.

You also should pay attention to the style of your business correspondence. A document written in a style responding to the requirements of its readers also results in fewer revisions, fewer calls to the sender, and easier to translate into other languages, if required. Style involves the writer's choice of language, organization of a text, classification and tenses. In business letters, writers must learn how to be brief in expressing their thoughts or ideas. This requires writers to have knowledge of grammar and excellent command of the vocabulary.

Also, within the context of writing a business letter, ideas have to be put down on the paper as they come without focusing on the order in which they occur. Ideas should be grouped in a way where one group naturally leads to another.

It is necessary to mention that in business letters, you may use the pronoun “I” as you are personally writing to conduct business. However, if you are writing to entertain, convince, inform, or persuade, you should avoid using the pronoun “I” simply because readers may not be interested in you as much as they are interested in the ideas and thoughts behind your message.

One of the problematic issues, when it comes to translation business letters into English, is the use of tenses. Especially it concerns Past Simple and Present Perfect Tenses. If you switch between past and present within the same paragraph, you style of writing will be considered weak, unless you are relating a past experience [7, p. 16].

Sometimes we tend to exaggerate, but, although exaggeration can sometimes give taste and color to novels or stories, you need to be careful not to use it in business correspondence as it can be perceived negatively by readers. As well as exaggerating, you should avoid inflated language or style, which is defined as a statement elaborated or heightened by empty means. Such a language can give false impressions and weaken the effect of the statement on the reader, litter business letters or promotional materials. You ought to use adjectives only when you want to make you message exact [7]. Otherwise using them is a bad idea. It is necessary to mention that while writing about something which may be considered controversial, seen as criticism or pointing out at some negative issues, you also should stick to some rules. For example, you should avoid negative prefixes - it is better to use impersonal sentences, so Passive structures are preferrable, also you are advised to soften the negative information which you are going to provide with the help of the following words: rather, slightly, a little, not enough etc. For example: “We are slightly concerned”.

Unfortunately, misinterpretations and misunderstandings are common where language barriers exist. In business communication and business translation, they can have serious implications - from not getting the intended message across to understanding it all wrong, or thinking it to be mean something when the intention was to mean something completely different. You can use several free online tools or websites to translate your documents [8]. However, it pays to be cautious since the business translation may not always be exact and the words your written business translation has may not always match up with the meaning that you intend to get across through your work documents.

Every language sits inside a defined structure with its own agreed upon rules. The complexity and singularity of this framework directly correlates to the difficulty of translation. A language may not have an exact match for a certain action or object that exists in another language. Sometimes a verb and a preposition will take on a separate, specific meaning when used together. The same word may mean multiple things depending on where it's placed and how it's used in a sentence. As a result, translators frequently have to add, remove, and rearrange source words to effectively communicate in the target language.

Conclusions

To summarize, translating business letters you usually have to deal with six different problematic areas in your work. These include: lexical-semantic problems; grammar; syntax; rhetoric; and pragmatic and cultural problems. Not to mention administrative issues, computer-related problems and stress.

Business correspondence training is a special strategy, where people are taught to make statements regarding their own behavior, and are then provided with argumentation when their statement and behavior correspond.

Correspondence training is found to be highly effective; it also helps in decreasing hesitation.

References

1. Ayn, Rand (2001). The Art of Non-fiction: A Guide for Writers and Readers. USA: e-book. kobo.com. pp. 2-6.

2. Christa, Haynes (2017). Rules of Business Correspondence. 26 September 2017. Available at: https://bizfluent.com/list-6818671-acceptable-closings-business-letters.html.

3. Jaqueline, Smith (2016). 15 Email Etiquette write “not fully satisfied” than “dissatisfied”, you ought to Rules Every Professional Should Follow. 2 February 2016. Available at: https://www.inc.com/business- insider/email-etiquette-rules.html.

4. Merriam Webster Dictionary. (2001). Available at: merriam-webster.com.

5. Paul, Soltoff. (2003). 20 Rules of Writing Effective Business E-Mails. 19 May 2003. Available at: https://www.clickz.com

6. Peter, Lipton. (2014). Writing Style. UK: Oxford University Press. 2 p.

7. Said, M. Shiyab, Sonia,Halimi. (2015). Writing Business Letters Across Languages: A Guide to Writing Clear and Concise Business Letters for Translation Purposes. UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 175 p.

8. Tracy, Bowens. (2019). Secrets to Writing Flawless English Letters for Business Purposes. Available at: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/business- english/business-english-letter.

9. Ulla, M. Connor (1996). Cross-Cultural Aspects of Second-Language Writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp.100-109.

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