当代外贸信函英语的礼貌原则

经贸翻译 当代外贸信函英语的礼貌原则
梅桂能
(杭州商学院外国语学院 杭州市 310012)
摘 要 本文通过系统分析和大量实例的比较,论述外贸信函英语应坚持的礼貌原则,归纳出当代外贸英
语信函应用礼貌原则的主要方法。

关键词 外贸信函英语 礼貌原则 圆通
Abstract T hroug h a compr ehensive and systematic analysis and comparison of English business correspon dences,this paper arg ues that the principle of politeness in English business correspondence should be upheld.
A lso pr esented in this paper are several met hods to achieve politeness in English business communications.
Key words English business corr espondence/the politeness principle/tact
语言学家Leech曾提出礼貌原则,认为在所有的语言交际中,说话人和听话人之间应尽量地表示礼貌(max im ize the expression of polite beliefs)和尽量减少不礼貌的表达方式(mini m ize the ex pression of impolite beliefs)。

此项原则对外贸信函英语具有特别重要的意义。

因为人都有 面子 ,若在信函中不给对方 面子 ,本来完全可以成交的买卖也会失去;礼貌的外贸英语信函重视对方的观点,尊重对方的权利、愿望和需要,迎合对方的心理,能产生令人愉快的感觉,从而促成和扩大对外贸易。

因此,我们要注意礼貌原则的应用。

1 使用简洁的客套语
当代外贸英语信函摈弃了一些陈旧难懂的客套语,如your esteemed favor(贵方的大函)、w e have for acknow ledgement w ith thanks... (我们已收到 十分感谢)等,但为了礼貌,还得用一些简洁的客套语,如thank you、w e are g lad/pleased、we have pleasure、w e w ould like you、we w ould be obliged/g rateful/appreciated if 等。

例如:
1.We thank you for your letter of June18 and have p leasur e to inform you that the cata logue you asked for has been airm ailed under separate cover.(你方6月18日来信已收到,谢谢。

兹奉告你要索取的目录已另由航空寄发。

)
2.We w ould like y ou to enquire into the fi nancial and credit status of a firm in Milan on our behalf.(请代为查询一下米兰一家商行的财务和信用情况。

)
3.We w ould be obliged/gr atef ul/app r eci ated/p leased if you w ould let us know if the company is reliable in paying debts,and also if they pay prom ptly.(如蒙告知我们这家公司偿付债务是否可靠及他们付款是否及时,我们将十分感激。

)
2 注意措辞
如果用词不当,就会冒犯对方,引起对方的不满和反感,从而影响贸易的顺利进行。

例如:
1 We sincerely advise you to accept our proposal as our stocks are getting low er and low er day and day,and w e are afraid we shall be un able to m eet your requirements if you fail to let us have your confirmation by return.(我们真诚地劝告你方接受我们的建议,因为我们的库存逐日减少。

如果你方不立即确定,我们恐怕将无法满足你方需要。

)
此处adv ise用得不妥,因为advise有一种居高临下的涵义,好象非接受我们的建议不可;其实对方接不接受得由自己作主,别人无权干涉。

故把advise改成recommend更为妥当。

2.We reject your order No.85for100,000
第17卷1期2004年2月 中国科技翻译
CHINESE SCIENCE&T ECHNOLOGY T RANSLATORS JOU RNAL
Vol.17.No.1
Feb.2004
收稿日期:2003 05 19/29
yards of Cotton Prints Art.No.1002.(我们拒绝接受你方85号关于订购货号1002号印花布十万码的定单。

)
此句单刀直入地用reject(拒绝)不太好,可改成U nfortunately,w e have been unable to ac cept...(很遗憾,我们不能接受 )
3.The Agreement in question calls for your w orking out business to the amount of .In g oing through our records,how ever,w e find that your business done to date amounts to only ,your f ailur e is obviously at variance with your undertakings set forth in the above_men tioned Agreement.T herefore,we hope that you w ill spare no efforts to strive for more business to carry out the provisions of the Ag reement as ex pected of you.(该协议书要求你们做成 英镑业务,但在查阅我们的记录时,我们发现你们迄今为止仅做了 英镑业务。

你方的失败与上述协议书所规定给你们的任务显然不符。

因此,希望你方努力争取更多业务,以履行协议书要求于你方的条款。

)
此处your failure不妥,应改为the inactivi ty on your part(你方的这种不景气)。

3 使用虚拟语气
使用虚拟语气可以使句子更婉转,具有更多的磋商余地,更有利于达成贸易协议。

例如:
1 If another instance of this discrepancy be tw een the sample and the goods received should occur,it w ould be very em barrassing.(如果订货样品与收到的货物不符的情况再发生的话,会令人十分困窘。

)
2.Could you also supply sam ples of the vari ous skins of w hich the g loves are m ade,w e should find it most helpful.(如也能寄来各种用于制手套的皮样将是极为有帮助的。

)
4 使用对方观点
在外贸英语信函中,我们切记给谁写信。

应站在对方的立场看问题,考虑对方的处境,明白对方的难处,说明我们了解对方、体谅对方,从而鼓励对方与我们合作。

例如:
W e_viewpoint(我方观点)
1.You have not opened the L/C for your order,w hich has been ready for shipment for a long time.We have w ritten to you several times, but much to our regret,w e have not had any re ply from you up to the mom ent.(你方订的货等待装运很久了,但你方还没有开出相关的信用证。

我们给你方写了好几次信,但非常遗憾,到目前为止我们还没有收到你方的回信。

)
2.We regret to say that w e have to cancel your order because of your failure to open the L/ C in time.(由于你方没按时开信用证,我们很遗憾地说我们不得不取消你方的订单。

)
3.You did not open the L/C according to the contract terms;therefore you are requested to amend the L/C as follow s:(你方未遵照合同条款开出信用证,因而请你方修改信用证如下:)
You_viewpoint(对方观点)
1.The goods you ordered have been ready. Please let us know w hen w e can expect to receive the covering L/C,upon receipt of w hich,w e w ill effect shipment w ithout delay.(你方订购的货物已准备好了。

请告知我们什么时候能收到该订货的信用证,我们一收到信用证,就会立即装运。

)
2.Please let us know if there is something in the way that precludes you from establishing the L/C.(请告知我们是否有什么障碍使你方开不出信用证。

)
3.T here are some discrepancies existing be tw een the L/C stipulations and the terms of con tract.For smooth effectuation of shipment,we shall appreciate your amending the L/C as fol low s:(信用证规定与合同条款有些出入,为了顺利办理装运,我们将感谢你方修改信用证如下:)
5 采用圆通的手法
外贸英语信函切忌生硬、死板。

对买卖双方来说,发现和纠正商品和服务中存在的缺陷都是令人不愉快的事,但应尽量避免使用表示不良情绪如claim(索赔)、defective(有缺陷)、a mazed(惊讶)、surprised(吃惊)、fault(错误)、re gret(遗憾)等词,避免使用讥讽的语气,因为这些会损害友好合作。

在结束理赔信时,为了表示体谅,可能会说 If you have any more diffi culty,please do not hesitate to let us know. (如果你还有困难,请勿犹豫告诉我们。

)或 We do not think you w ill have any more difficulty (我们想,你们不会有更多困难。

)之类的句子。

事实上,这类句子在客户心中会令其产生不快的
30中国科技翻译 17卷
情绪,故应避免。

例如:
Letter1
1.We duly received the documents and took dilivery of the goods on arrival of the s.s.Isabella at Hamburg.(我们收到了装运单证,并在 Is abella 轮到达汉堡时提取了货物。

)
2.We are much obliged to you for the prom pt ex ecution of this order.Everything ap pears to be correct and in good condition ex cept in case No.71.(我们非常感激你们迅速执行这一定单。

除了第71号箱,看来一切都正常无误。

)
3.Unfortunately,w hen w e opened this case w e found it contained completely different arti cles,and w e can only presume that a m istake w as made and the contents of this case w ere for an other order.(很遗憾,我们在开启那只箱子时发现,箱内所装的完全不是订购的货物。

我们只能假定,这是一次差错,而箱内的货物是属于其他定单的。

)
4.As w e need the articles we ordered to complete deliveries to our new customers,w e must ask you to arrange for dispatch of replace ments at once.We attach a list of the contents of case No.71,and shall be glad if you w ill check this w ith our order and the copy of your invoice. (由于我们需把所订之货用来完成向新客户交货,故我们不得不要求你们立即安排发运换货。

今附上第71号箱内货物清单,如你方能将此清单同我方定单及你方发票副本进行核对,我们将感到高兴。

)
5.In the meantime we are holding the above_mentioned case at your disposal;please let us know w hat you w ish us to do with it.(在此期间,我们保留上述箱子,听候你方处理,你方对此作何处置,请告知为盼。

)
Letter2
1.Thank you for your letter of February10 informing us that the consignment was delivered prom ptly.We appreciate your straightfor w ardness in pointing out that case No.71did not contain the goods you ordered.(谢谢你方2月10日来信,告知我们所订货物已及时递交。

我们感谢你方直率指出第71号箱内货物不是你方所订购的。

)
2.On going into the matter w e find that a mistake w as indeed made in the packing through a confusion of numbers,and w e have arranged for the rig ht goods to be dispatched to you at once.Relative documents w ill be mailed as soon as they are ready.(在调查此事时,我们发现由于号码混淆导致包装错误。

我们已安排立即把正确的货物发运给你们。

有关单证一俟备妥当即寄上。

)
3.We are sorry for the trouble caused you by the error and wish to assure you that care w ill be taken in the ex ecution of your further orders. (对由此错误带给你方的麻烦,我们非常抱歉,并保证:在履行你方今后的定单时,一定谨慎小心。

)
Letter1的第一和第二段用来表扬卖方及时履行定单的方式作为缓解不满情绪的一种措施。

第三段摆事实。

最后两段为公正解决问题而提出建议。

Letter2的第一段表示感谢客户指出错发货物。

第二段简要说明造成错误的原因并告诉客户已经为解决问题采取了行动。

最后一段,除了表示抱歉外,着重说明对履行客户今后的定单一定予以谨慎小心。

这两封信都显得温文尔雅,没有一点火药味,易于对方接受。

随着全球经贸一体化的不断推进,国际贸易的竞争日益激烈;彬彬有礼的外贸英语信函营造一种尊重对方、寻求合作的气氛,使对方乐意与我们合作,从而有助于在竞争中占据一席之地。

6 参考文献
1 Leech,G.N.Principles of Pragmatics.Harlow:Longman,
1983
2 Leo Janes an d Richard Alexander.Internati onal Business Eng
lish,Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,1994
3 Levins on,S.C.Pragmatics.Cambridge:Cambri dge Un i versity
Pres s,1983
4 甘鸿 外经贸英语函电(修订本) 上海科学技术文献出版
社,1997
5 刘新民 经贸英语阅读 上海外语教育出版社,1993
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对外经济贸易大学出版社,1997
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版社,1989
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1期 梅桂能:当代外贸信函英语的礼貌原则。