Business letters

The term itself (business letters) implies commercial correspondence but in reality the subject-matter of the letter may have nothing in common with merchandise or financial matters.

It is a formal letter to an unknown person, composed in accordance with certain rules. ' In this letter there must be nothing superfluous, nothing that would disclose subjective emotions, no strong expressions showing emotions (passion or vehemence).

Business letters are mostly very short. (Time is money). (Business is business). (Galperin remarks that they hardly exceed 8 or 10 lines).

The rules of composition are very strict.

Business letters may be public and private.

A private business letter is one written to or by some man in his business capacity and not as a private friend - such as a schoolmaster, a merchant, a tradesman, a lawyer, an agent, a professional man of any kind. The letter may be addressed either to an individual or to a company, such as a water company, a gas company, a publishing firm, an engineering firm etc.

A public business letters (more commonly known as an official letter) is one written to or by anyone in his official capacity. Such a person may be either holding some public office or representing some important public associationg, such as a Minicipial Board, A Government Office or Ministry.

T here are different kinds of letters:

I. Letters of Positive Sense:

1. a) Letter of Appreciation

b) Letter of Recognition Лист-подяка

c) Thank-you Letter

2. Letter of Congratulation - Лист-привггання.

3. a) Letter of Recommendation

b) Letter of Introduction

c) Reply to Request for References (Favourable Information)

II. Letters of Neutral Sense:

1) Offer - Лист-пропозищя

2) Inquiry - Лист-запит

3) Confirmation - Лист-тдтвердження

III. Letters of Negative Sense

1) Claim - Лист-рекламація

2) Rejection - Лист-відмова

3) Reminder - Лист-нагадування

4) Letter of Condolence - Лист-ствчуття

5) Reply to Request for References (Unfavourable Information)

The common features for all business letters:

The encoded character of language:

) a) The use of abbreviations Gvt (Government) M.P. (Member of Parliament) U.A. (United Nations)

b) Conventional symbols

$ (dollar), £ (pound), С (Euro)

c) Contractions Ltd (Limited) Jan (January) Corp (Corporation) Inc (Incorporation)

2) The words in their logic dictionary meaning. (There is no room for contextual meaning).

3) Conventionality of expression

4) Absence of emotiveness

Historically, openings and closing formulas(ae) were not just standard phrases which are little paid attention to. Originally, they were functional necessities: a letter writer (especially one of a lower social class) was morally obliged to emphasize his submissiveness and humbleness, his inferiority to the person addressed. The words „humble, obedient, faithful, servant" were meant to affect the person of high position, to beg for a morsel of the man's sympathy by flattering his pride. (In Russia there was a similar social phenomenon. The action of asking for sovereign's merciful attention was kneeling and bowing so low as to strike one's forehead against the ground: бить челом. Челобитная - forehead beating - means,, petition").

In English letters of earlier centuries we can meet such pearls of timid submission: - „I do most humbly entreat your honour to be pleased to procure me my audience from His Highness". The close of the letter: „Your honour's most humble and obedient servant".

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