商务信函用语

商务信函用语 Expressions for Business Letters
1. 如能尽快报你方产品最低价，我方将不胜感激。

We shall be obliged if you will quote us your rock—bottom prices for your products at your earliest convenience．
2. 现报实盘：以我方时间3月21日下午5时前你方复到为准。

We offer you firm subject to your reply here by 5p．m，March 21 our time．3．兹就你方要求用付款交单方式一事，现奉告，信用证支付为我方惯用方式，故不能对你方例外。

With regard to your request for D/P terms, we wish to inform you that payment by L/C is your usual practice, and we are not in a position to make you an exception.
上述例句打底线部分为典型的外贸信函程式化套语，用在信函中能使语言表达地道规范，语气平和得当，、专业色彩浓，表现出鲜明的外贸信函用语行业特征。

试分析下述各例：
4. 烦请贵方注意这一事实：标题货装运短重问题仍未解决。

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that the question of short weight on the captioned shipment remains unsettled．
汉、英语在各自的语言表达中都有固定的套式，但“draw”这一动词还可用“call”
和“invite”来替换，只是“invite”中词更显礼貌一些。

5. 提请卖方注意：我方定单拖欠至今尚未履行。

We brought to the knowledge of the Seller that our order had been outstanding for considerable time．
此例与上例基本属同一类型，语气委婉，但言辞庄重，为常见的商函客套用语。

6. 如蒙贵公司向我方提供该公司情况，将不胜感激。

We should be grateful if you should get for US some information about this company．
英语中除了“obliged”,“grateful”这两个词外，还可用“thankful”一词来替换，或用其它的词稍作句型变化：
It would be appreciated if．．．
We should appreciate it if．．．
7. 你方9月8日来函收悉。

We are in receipt of your letter of Sept．8．
这一套语汉语还可简化为“函悉’’，几乎为信文开头的常式。

8. 希望保险索赔一事不会给你方造成麻烦。

诸多麻烦，容此申谢。

We hope no difficulty will arise in connection with the insurance claim and thank you in advance for your trouble on our behalf．
这一套语不看译文的确想不到它竟会是汉语“提前致谢”之意。

按汉语思维，会译成“Please allow me here to express to you our thanks for bothering you so much”，但这倒像老式的演讲词。

再看一例：
9. 承蒙合作，容此申谢。

Thank you in advance for your cooperation．
用套语一套即可成文，非常实用。

10. 随函附寄我方价目单一式两份，请查收。

Enclosed please find two copies of our price list．
这一套语原是英语信函套型其实很简单：“Pleas e find two copies…enclosed”，把句中宾补提到句首。

类似的还有：
Please find enclosed two copies of．．．
Enclosed are two copies of…
We are sending you under cover two copies of．．．
当然，最后这一例形式略有不同，“under cover”表达了随函的意思，若改用“under separate cover”、“by separate mail”或“by sep arate post”等套语，则是“另函”之意了。

这一意义英语中还有更接近日常表达的方式：
11. 现随函附寄我方最新目录和价格表，上有贵方所需行情。

We enc1ose our latest catalogue and a price list giving details you ask for.
12. 我方经营多种轻工产品，详见附表。

We deal in a wide range of light industrial products as per list enclosed．汉语“详见附表”似乎还有另一习惯表达：“For particulars please refer to the list attached”，尽管这也是固定的套语，但较之“as per”，在商函却不及后者地道。

“详见附表"这一套语还可更简洁：
Details as per the attached list．
13. 谨告之装船单证正本通过中国银行寄送你方。

Please be advised that the originals of shipping documents are being sent to you through the Bank of China．
“谨告之”不是“sincerely inform you that…”因为它不大合商函套式。

除句中“advise”词外，英语还可用“inform”代替它，或用“Please note that…”和“Please see to it that…”句型来表达。

14. 请随时告之你方市场形势动态。

P1ease keep us informed of market situation at your end.
这与上例形式相近．但意义大不相同(上例是“告之于人”，此处则是“被告之”)，不可混用，名中“inform”一词还可用“advise”和“post”代替。

同时，英语“at your end”也是商函中的固定习语。

15．请告之你方具体要求，以便我方另寄目录和报价表。

Please let us know your specific requirements in order for us to send you by separate mail our catalogue and quotation．
“请告之”英语不用“Please tell us”(当然也可这样表达)而是用了更为常用的套语(打底线处)，就使得表达更显商函特色了。

16．承蒙中国银行拉哥斯分行告之贵公司名称和地址，我方得知贵公司为纺织品和棉布出口商。

We owe your name and address to the Bank of China，Lagos Branch，through whom we have learnt you are exporters of Chinese textiles and cotton piece goods．“承蒙告之”、“得知”也是信函用语，英语“through the courtesy of…”(经由……
的好意)“on the recommendation of”“introduced by…”(由……介绍)等都可在这一情景下使用。

17. 现冒昧来函，以谋求与贵公司进行贸易。

We take the 1iberty of writing to you with a view to doing business with you．“冒昧”一词系初次交往时使用的礼貌用语，可使语气委婉而不显唐突，纯粹出于客套，
实际意义不大，但用与不用效果不同。

当然，这里也可以用“take the liberty to write to…”来代替上面的“of”短语。

类似的场合下还可使用“t o take this opportunity to introduce ourselves as…”(借此机会自我介绍)、“t o write to introduce ourselves as…”(现函告)和“This is to introduce o urselves as…”(兹介绍)等来代替它。

18. 盼早复。

We are looking forward to your early reply．
汉语言简意赅，英语则句式相对长一些。

类似的英语表达还有：
·We are expecting your early reply．
·We anticipate your early reply．
·We are awaiting your immediate reply．
·We look forward to hearing from you soon.
·Let us have your reply soon．
·We are looking forward to your favorable reply．
·We look forward to hearing from you favorably．
到底用哪一种则须遵从个人习惯了。

上述各例从一定程度上反映了部分信函用语的模式化特征，但在一些商贸术语和行话中，同样也有一些模式化的固定搭配，它们不属标准用语，但却一样在表达上形成了套式，对于套语，必须首先排除汉语思维的干扰，遵从英语的习惯进行表达，例如下例：
19．请注意，我方现货不多。

Your attention is drawn to the fact that we have not much ready stock on hand.
“现货”是固定的专业术语，汉语只有一个，英语却可根据不同上下文用多种形式表达(此句中的“请注意”也是可供现货：
·We can supply the goods from stock．
·We can supply the goods ex stock．
·The goods are in stock for supply．
·The goods are available for supply．
无现货可供：
·The goods are not available for supply．
·The stocks are exhausted．
·The goods are out of stock.
存货不多或逐减：
·Our stocks are running low．
·We have low(1imited)stock in(of)the goods．
20．此货需求甚殷，故建议你方尽快惠赐试定单。

We would suggest that you sent us your trial order as soon as possible，as there is a brisk demand for this article．
汉、英对照，英语既看不出“惠”(favour)，也看不出“赐”(grant)的意思，然而英语商函一直就这样说。

当然，也有客气一些的说法：
·Would you please send us．．．
·Be kind enough to send us．．．
·Favor us with．．．
另外，“需求甚殷”与译文相比，一个文气，一个俗白，类似的英语固定搭配还有：需求极大：There is a heavy demand for…
接货过多：There is a heavy commitment…
货已接满：—be fully committed with…
定单甚多：have received a large number of．．
定单接踵而至：the rush of order．．．
当然，上述译法也并非一成不变，具体使用须视不同上下文而定。

21．特此奉告，我方经营的电扇品种齐全。

We are pleased to inform you that we handle a wide range of electric fans．“经营”一词却有多种说法: “deal in”、“trade in”、“be in the line of…”
等习惯表达。

与之相应的还有配，例如：
22. 现奉告，我方专营工艺品出口。

We wish to inform you that we are specialized in the export of arts and crafts．当然，“专营"还有另外的说法，“专营”一词，同样也有许多搭配：
·We deal exclusively in the export of…
·We specialize in the export of．．．
·We—are specific in the line of the export of…
·We trade specially in the export of…
上述“专营”、“经营”在英语中的搭配方式都已相对固定。

23．我公司为经营纺织品的大公司，产品畅销海内外。

We are large dealers in textiles，with our products well-sold at home and abroad．“畅销”一词为最常用商业术语，在英语中的说法不下十种，除个别与汉语“畅”字(fast)字面意义相符外，大多采用意译法，且形成固定搭配：
·The products are sold well at home and abroad．
·The products are good sellers at home and abroad．
·The products enjoy fast sales at home and abroad．
·The products enjoy popular sales at home and abroad．
·The products have commanded a good market at home and abroad．
·There is a promising market for the products at home and abroad．
·There will be good prospects for the products at home and abroad．
类似的还有“深受客户欢迎”：
·The products are well received by the customers．
·The products are most popular with the customers．。