Participating effectively in a Business English environment not only requires a solid grasp of English grammar, but also an understanding of key communication factors. Here is a list of the principle factors that need to be understood in each communication situation:
Function
Function refers to the purpose of the conversation. Is the conversation about making a serious decision? Is the conversation entertaining?
Generally, language functions which include negotiations, interviews, presentations, etc. call for more formal language structures. Informal occasions call for more informal language, in fact, informal occasions allow you the possibility to show off your knowledge of idiomatic language. It's best to not use colloquial or idiomatic language when using formal language functions.
Domain, Register and Urgency
Domain: knowing your rights and responsibilities in any discussion. Is the discussion of a personal nature? Are you being interviewed for a job?
Register Use: the type of language you should use depending on the relationship between you and the speaker. Generally, colleagues in the US go by a first name basis and also use more colloquial language with each other. If, on the other hand, you are speaking with a supervisor you will probably use more formal language for example: Ms. Smith
Urgency: the importance of your message. If the message is extremely important, and you are speaking with a subordinate (register use) the imperative form (i.e. Call Mr Jackson!) might be appropriate. On the other hand, if your message is not so important and you are speaking with a supervisor, you would use more formal forms to get that person's attention (i.e. Excuse the interruption Mr Brown, but would you mind taking a look at this report when you have the time?).
Once again, the tendency in the American workplace is for more important (urgent) messages to be expressed in simple direct language. The less important message are often softened with more formal language.
Example Conversations - 1
This is a discussion about a business matter and the function of this conversation is professional. Personal requests should not be included (i.e. - how about dropping the Mr Peterson and calling me Bob). The informal tone is also inappropriate when discussing a business report.
Mr Peterson is speaking to Ms Bank who is his direct supervisor. He would like to ask Ms Bank to analyze a report he has done. The first conversation has a number of errors in language usage based on the situation. See if you can spot the mistakes:
Mr Petersen: Oh, Anne, come here.
Ms Bank: Yes, Mr Peterson. How can I help you?
Mr Petersen: Well, first of all, how about dropping the Mr Peterson and calling me Bob.
Ms Bank: If you don't mind, I would prefer to talk about why you would like to talk to me.
Mr Petersen: Come off it, don't be such a snob. Anyway, I finished the report you demanded. Wanna take a look at it?
Ms Bank: Yes, I would as a matter of fact.
Mr Petersen: Well, here it is. Give it a good one over and tell me what you think.
Ms Bank: Thank you Mr Peterson. I'll get back to you tomorrow.Domain Mistakes:
As a subordinate who has been requested to do a report, Mr Peterson is responsible for presenting a report in a positive manner to the supervisor who has asked for the report. The use of 'demanded' is much too strong in this case. Also, supervisors generally set the standard for whether or not first names are used between management and staff. However, it is true that in most business settings in the US today, a more informal environment is preferred and first names are generally used between most employees.
Register Mistakes:
Mr Peterson is clearly not aware of the fact that he is speaking to his boss. His choice of informal language, imperative voice (tell me what you think, etc.) and idiomatic usage (wanna take a look?) are all inappropriate register choices for this conversation.
Urgency Mistakes:
While the message that Mr Peterson wants to get across is very important, his choice of language detracts from the importance of the fact that the report is finished. In this case, the most important business task at hand, i.e. the report, might be ignored because of his improper use of language.
Conversation 1 - Corrections
Here is the same discussion with a more appropriate approach:
Mr Petersen: Excuse me, Ms Bank. Could I ask you to come over here for a moment?
Ms Bank: Certainly, how can I help you?
Mr Petersen: I've finished the report you requested and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind taking a look at it.
Ms Bank: That's good to hear. I'd be happy to look through the work you've done.
Mr Petersen: I'd also appreciate it if you could give me any feedback for future reports.
Ms Bank: Certainly, I'll be sure to let you know what I think.
Mr Petersen: Thank you.
Ms Bank: Thank you Mr Peterson.
Example Conversations - 2
Here is a discussion between two friends who work in the same building, but not for the same company. They are on their lunch break:
Tom: Hello, Frank. How do you do?
Frank: Well, I'm fine. How are you?
Tom: I'm fine. Thank you very much for asking. I was wondering if you might be able to help me with a problem. Do you think you might have some time for me later today?
Frank: Sure Tom. I'm your best friend. Hey, what did you think of the game last night?
Tom: Oh, I thought that both of the teams played extremely accurate and well executed games.
Frank: You mean they both were hot.
Tom: I guess you could say that.
Frank: By the way, what's the mtter with you today?
Here is a list of the mistakes in this conversation:Language Function Mistakes:
This is an informal discussion between two friends at lunch. Tom has a question, but the forms he uses are much too formal for the informal purpose of this conversation. Finally, the question "How do you do?" is completely inappropriate as the two friends are not being introduced, but, rather, saying hello.
Domain Mistakes: Tom and Frank are friends and are eating lunch together. In this situation, informal discussion, idiomatic language and forms are absolutely normal. Asking a question is certainly within the domain of this conversation. However, a formal analysis of the way the teams played the night before (i.e. "both of the teams played extremely accurate and well executed games") is not called for in this situation.
Register Mistakes: Tom and Frank should be using informal, direct language forms due to their informal friendly relationship. Also the fact that it is lunch time calls for a more relaxed, informal tone.
Urgency Mistakes: The message is not so urgent. Two friends are passing time together during a lunch break. The formal tone of the question and comment on the game make these messages too important.
Conversation 2 - Corrections
Here is a more friendly, and appropriate, version of the conversation:
Tom: Frank. How are things today?
Frank: Great. Good to see you. How's the wife?
Tom: Just fine. Listen, can you pop by the office and give me a hand later today?
Frank: Sure, no problem. Hey, how about the game last night?
Tom: Incredible! Both teams were really on.
Frank: Were they ever! They couldn't miss a shot!Summary
As you can see from these simple example conversations, good English usage also depends on judging the situation well. Grammar is important. Knowing how to use various forms of the language in different situations can make the difference between communicating and communicating effectively.
~ Kenneth Beare
Copyright © 2004 About, Inc. About and About.com are registered trademarks of About, Inc. The About logo is a trademark of About, Inc. All rights reserved.
Function
Function refers to the purpose of the conversation. Is the conversation about making a serious decision? Is the conversation entertaining?
Generally, language functions which include negotiations, interviews, presentations, etc. call for more formal language structures. Informal occasions call for more informal language, in fact, informal occasions allow you the possibility to show off your knowledge of idiomatic language. It's best to not use colloquial or idiomatic language when using formal language functions.
Domain, Register and Urgency
Domain: knowing your rights and responsibilities in any discussion. Is the discussion of a personal nature? Are you being interviewed for a job?
Register Use: the type of language you should use depending on the relationship between you and the speaker. Generally, colleagues in the US go by a first name basis and also use more colloquial language with each other. If, on the other hand, you are speaking with a supervisor you will probably use more formal language for example: Ms. Smith
Urgency: the importance of your message. If the message is extremely important, and you are speaking with a subordinate (register use) the imperative form (i.e. Call Mr Jackson!) might be appropriate. On the other hand, if your message is not so important and you are speaking with a supervisor, you would use more formal forms to get that person's attention (i.e. Excuse the interruption Mr Brown, but would you mind taking a look at this report when you have the time?).
Once again, the tendency in the American workplace is for more important (urgent) messages to be expressed in simple direct language. The less important message are often softened with more formal language.
Example Conversations - 1
This is a discussion about a business matter and the function of this conversation is professional. Personal requests should not be included (i.e. - how about dropping the Mr Peterson and calling me Bob). The informal tone is also inappropriate when discussing a business report.
Mr Peterson is speaking to Ms Bank who is his direct supervisor. He would like to ask Ms Bank to analyze a report he has done. The first conversation has a number of errors in language usage based on the situation. See if you can spot the mistakes:
Mr Petersen: Oh, Anne, come here.
Ms Bank: Yes, Mr Peterson. How can I help you?
Mr Petersen: Well, first of all, how about dropping the Mr Peterson and calling me Bob.
Ms Bank: If you don't mind, I would prefer to talk about why you would like to talk to me.
Mr Petersen: Come off it, don't be such a snob. Anyway, I finished the report you demanded. Wanna take a look at it?
Ms Bank: Yes, I would as a matter of fact.
Mr Petersen: Well, here it is. Give it a good one over and tell me what you think.
Ms Bank: Thank you Mr Peterson. I'll get back to you tomorrow.Domain Mistakes:
As a subordinate who has been requested to do a report, Mr Peterson is responsible for presenting a report in a positive manner to the supervisor who has asked for the report. The use of 'demanded' is much too strong in this case. Also, supervisors generally set the standard for whether or not first names are used between management and staff. However, it is true that in most business settings in the US today, a more informal environment is preferred and first names are generally used between most employees.
Register Mistakes:
Mr Peterson is clearly not aware of the fact that he is speaking to his boss. His choice of informal language, imperative voice (tell me what you think, etc.) and idiomatic usage (wanna take a look?) are all inappropriate register choices for this conversation.
Urgency Mistakes:
While the message that Mr Peterson wants to get across is very important, his choice of language detracts from the importance of the fact that the report is finished. In this case, the most important business task at hand, i.e. the report, might be ignored because of his improper use of language.
Conversation 1 - Corrections
Here is the same discussion with a more appropriate approach:
Mr Petersen: Excuse me, Ms Bank. Could I ask you to come over here for a moment?
Ms Bank: Certainly, how can I help you?
Mr Petersen: I've finished the report you requested and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind taking a look at it.
Ms Bank: That's good to hear. I'd be happy to look through the work you've done.
Mr Petersen: I'd also appreciate it if you could give me any feedback for future reports.
Ms Bank: Certainly, I'll be sure to let you know what I think.
Mr Petersen: Thank you.
Ms Bank: Thank you Mr Peterson.
Example Conversations - 2
Here is a discussion between two friends who work in the same building, but not for the same company. They are on their lunch break:
Tom: Hello, Frank. How do you do?
Frank: Well, I'm fine. How are you?
Tom: I'm fine. Thank you very much for asking. I was wondering if you might be able to help me with a problem. Do you think you might have some time for me later today?
Frank: Sure Tom. I'm your best friend. Hey, what did you think of the game last night?
Tom: Oh, I thought that both of the teams played extremely accurate and well executed games.
Frank: You mean they both were hot.
Tom: I guess you could say that.
Frank: By the way, what's the mtter with you today?
Here is a list of the mistakes in this conversation:Language Function Mistakes:
This is an informal discussion between two friends at lunch. Tom has a question, but the forms he uses are much too formal for the informal purpose of this conversation. Finally, the question "How do you do?" is completely inappropriate as the two friends are not being introduced, but, rather, saying hello.
Domain Mistakes: Tom and Frank are friends and are eating lunch together. In this situation, informal discussion, idiomatic language and forms are absolutely normal. Asking a question is certainly within the domain of this conversation. However, a formal analysis of the way the teams played the night before (i.e. "both of the teams played extremely accurate and well executed games") is not called for in this situation.
Register Mistakes: Tom and Frank should be using informal, direct language forms due to their informal friendly relationship. Also the fact that it is lunch time calls for a more relaxed, informal tone.
Urgency Mistakes: The message is not so urgent. Two friends are passing time together during a lunch break. The formal tone of the question and comment on the game make these messages too important.
Conversation 2 - Corrections
Here is a more friendly, and appropriate, version of the conversation:
Tom: Frank. How are things today?
Frank: Great. Good to see you. How's the wife?
Tom: Just fine. Listen, can you pop by the office and give me a hand later today?
Frank: Sure, no problem. Hey, how about the game last night?
Tom: Incredible! Both teams were really on.
Frank: Were they ever! They couldn't miss a shot!Summary
As you can see from these simple example conversations, good English usage also depends on judging the situation well. Grammar is important. Knowing how to use various forms of the language in different situations can make the difference between communicating and communicating effectively.
~ Kenneth Beare
Copyright © 2004 About, Inc. About and About.com are registered trademarks of About, Inc. The About logo is a trademark of About, Inc. All rights reserved.
[此贴子已经被作者于3/20/2004 10:17:30 PM编辑过]
