Intercultural written communication

INTERCULTURAL WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

 

 

LECTURE 1

CHALLENGES OF WRITING INTERNATIONALLY

Writing international business letters is never easy but very often confusing and misleading. While many of the genres and conventions of business writing in English are found everywhere, some are unique to particular contexts, and may prove challenging to those attempting to do business in those contexts. Being able to create appropriate formal and informal written business documents in these contexts not only contributes to a more efficient business enterprise but also enables the writer to be seen as knowledgeable and culturally sensitive.

Just like oral or non-verbal communication, the norm of a country way of writing and accustomed written form is important to learn and understand. In this mode of communication the goal is to figure out the difference in writing style based on cultural behaviour and normal practice.

In this respect we must clarify the notions of high context and low context cultures. High-context culture and the contrasting low-context culture are terms presented by the anthropologist Edward T. Hall in his 1976 book Beyond Culture. It refers to a culture's tendency to use high-context messages over low-context messages in routine communication. This choice between speaking styles indicates whether a culture will cater to in-groups, an in-group being a group that has similar experiences and expectations, from which inferences are drawn. In a higher-context culture, many things are left unsaid, letting the culture explain. Words and word choice become very important in higher-context communication, since a few words can communicate a complex message very effectively to an in-group (but less effectively outside that group), while in a low-context culture, the communicator needs to be much more explicit and the value of a single word is less important.

It may be interesting and surprising enough to find out which languages and cultures around the world are referred to one culture or another. Here are many of them.

Higher-context cultures Lower-context cultures

· African Australian

· Arabic Dutch

· Brazilian English Canadian

· Chinese French Canadian

· Filipinos English

· French Finnish

· Greek German

· Hawaiian Israeli

· Hungarian New Zealand

· Indian Scandinavia

· Indonesian Switzerland

· Italian United States

· Irish

· Japanese

· Korean

· Latin Americans

· Nepali

· Pakistani

· Persian

· Portuguese

· Russian

· Southern United States

· Spanish

· Thai

· Turkish

· Vietnamese

· South Slavic

· West Slavic

 

Low context and high context have a lot to do with writing to someone in another country as this preference will be clearly visible in the content of the letter or contract. For example, if a high context culture values formality and tradition, those of low context would remember to be extremely polite.

Another example is, a Japanese writer may start his/her business letter with writing about the weather or season and relate issues and concerns with nature, whereas a North American writer would kindly get to the point efficiently and effectively. In this case if the North American was trying to get business from the Japanese, it would be smart to incorporate their method of written communication.

Here is a fragment taken from the Internet, related with the topic of our interest: “What is the proper way to address Norwegian person when writing a business letter?” Thomas E.Williams answers: “As an Englishman currently working in Norway, let me start by saying Hi! Hei! (norsk) is literally the only introduction I have ever used or received whilst corresponding with individuals and businesses in Norway by email, which goes some way to explaining the informality of written communication in this country.

It is short and to the point. For a formal letter, I would recommend holding with the traditional format if you are writing in English, s this is generally well received. When writing a letter in Norwegian, a short title outlining the subject of the letter

e.g. Proposal for further development replaces a formal introduction.

There are no Dear Sirs or Norwegian equivalent. One would rarely refer to a single person or use the word you, which possibly harks back to the old days in Europe and the nonsense that was formal/informal use of you (which has now almost disappeared from general use in Norway). If it is used, it is most likely that it would be the plural form dere ”.

Correspondence, whether it is by letter, fax, or email, is a key aspect of the world of commerce and business. It reflects on the competence and professionalism of the person who has written it and the company he or she works for. Clear, effective correspondence is an important part of running an efficient business, and can promote good relations. Unclear or confusing correspondence can cause many problems, and can lead to misunderstandings, delays, lost business, and poor relations between individuals, departments, and companies. Therefore, writing skills – what is written and how it is expressed – should as much a part of a business education as accountancy or economics. So, the faster you acquaint yourself with accepted modes of written communication, the better.

General advice on what you need to consider for intercultural written messages are presented here, while more detailed tips concerning particular type of commercial correspondence will be offered to your attention in the following lectures.

· Consider adjusting to the local styles. Learn and apply the organization, format, tone and style your reader may be accustomed to.

· Use titles, ranks, and last names as in many cultures it is degrading and inconsiderate of one not to mention or care to include a given status.

· Short sentences and paragraphs should be used so the document can be read easily. It is said a sentence should not consists of more than 15-25 words.

· Avoid vague and confusing expressions like certain idioms (a dime a dozen), cliches ( worn out expressions like busy as a bee ), slang (props to you), abbreviations (ttul for talk to you later), and jargon. Incorporate action specific words (ex: sell the product instead of get rid of the product).

· Be clear. Avoid words with 2 meanings. For example, use return instead of bring back or maintain instead of keep up.

· Use correct grammar and spelling. Be sure to double check, otherwise it would be an embarrassment considering we are from a country that mostly communicates in English.

 

One more quite interesting aspect should not be omitted in our discussion devoted to business correspondence. The English language has often been described as a “living” language. This means that it grows and renews itself by a never-ending process of taking up new words and expressions and pushing obsolete and worn-out ones into the background to languish or die. The process is slow: each age adds something to the national heritage, something that is typical of the spirit of that age. The result is clearly seen in the writing and speech of that age. In this respect we can quote a comment taken from the Internet: Bill, January 27, 2015 12:48 pm

“…email has changed the way we communicate in writing. Using a true letter format is now far less frequent than an email memo one. This makes the use of “dear” stand out as an exception rather than a rule. I’d bet that people under thirty begin letters with “dear” far less frequently those over thirty. Using “dear” will soon be a sign of age, and then will morph into a sign of fuddy-duddiness and will therefore be avoided by most. There will be occasional resurgences of its use by the young who will use it in a humorous, retro way, but other than that, it will be as common as ending a letter with things like “Your faithful servant”.”

PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS

FAX

To: Spacesaver

From: Randy Burr

Subject: Renting warehouse space

Further to our discussion last week in which I outlined our need for warehousing over the next 18 months, I would like to enquire if the warehouse space is still available at the W1 site.

We would have the following requirements:

- warehouse of 100m²

- 24-hour access

- must have security

- adequate parking for twenty and easy access

 

Background Information

The Circular warehouse

- outside of city centre

- 30-minute drive from Brown&Burr

- two thirds the price of W1

- all spaces available from 25m² to 100m²

- just off motorway

- easy access for lorries and adequate parking

- brand new facility

- security firm check once a night

W1

- based in the city centre

- three lots currently available: 75m², 50m², 50m²

- could offer two spaces at 50m² but more expensive

- poor access and parking for five at most

- a 10% discount for two-year booking

 

MEMO

To: All staff

From: James Shepherd

Date: 23 June

LECTURE 2

PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS

II. Memos are supposed to be not too long (40-50 words). Look at the task and a possible answer, which is too long (100 words). Underline the most important information in the memo and cross out any phrases, which give unnecessary details. Then, write a shorter version of the memo.

Task: You work in the Human Resources Department. The government has recently increased the amount of social security tax for all workers. Write a memo to your staff informing them:

# what the change in tax is # who will be affected #when the new rules will take effect

 

A possible answer

To: All staff

From: Daniel de Rivaz, Payroll Officer

Date: 13 May

Subject: Tax changes

 

I would like to point out to all staff that following the recent changes in the tax law announced by the government last week, in future the rate of social security tax will be 11%, which is an increase from the 10% it was before. This new rate will apply to everyone (the level of your salary is not important) and you will be taxed this amount starting in July. If you have any questions or want more information, you are welcome to contact me, Daniel de Rivaz, in the Human Resources department during normal working hours.

 

III. You work for APIS Car rental, a small but growing car hire business. You have just received this fax. Read the fax and the notes, using all the information, write a letter in reply to Dave Duffy. (120-140 words)

To: APIS Car rental

From: Dave Duffy (Purchasing manager)

 

Further to our meetings with you last week, we would like to discuss the possibility of a 6-month trial contract. Here is a reminder of our requirements:

- 24-hour availability for car collection

- coverage of all our main locations in the UK (London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds and Newcastle)

- the option of chauffeur driven cars for senior executives.

We expect to make on average about 30-40 car rentals per week and it is vital that we know you are able to manage this quantity.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Notes:

· offer discount for 12-month trial

· cars can be collected between 7am and 8pm. Extra fee if outside those hours

· ask for approximate amount of cars they need for each location. The number of cars you have in fleet is: London 50, Birmingham 25, Manchester 30, Glasgow 20, Leeds 10, Newcastle 0

· mention that you do not own depot in Newcastle but have a good partner, they offer modern fleet of cars, flexible hours, fast service, fair rates

· prices for cars can vary from one location to another

LECTURE 3

EFFECTIVE WRITTEN COMMUNICATION FOR PARTNERS AND ASSOCIATES IN DIFFERENT CULTURES.

 

To make your writing effective and efficient has always been a hard nut to crack for business partners, especially while writing internationally. There are certain characteristics of written passages that will definitely denote your piece of writing as being clear and well-organised or inefficient and confusing. Apart from the structure and generally accepted conventions of business writing coherence plays a vital role in writing between cultures. Although there are different types of coherence, it is generally defined as the degree to which a document makes sense to the reader. Author credibility, appeal to the reader’s emotions and logic all inform the success of global coherence. There are three distinct versions of coherence to be analysed – parallel progression, sequential progression and extended parallel progression.

Parallel progression is when the topic of successive sentences is the same. This is similar to a relay race, in which a runner passes a baton to the next runner. The result is a seamless exchange of information from beginning to end of the letter. This strategy demands less of the reader because the topic is always clear as it progresses within a paragraph. English-language writers follow parallel progression.

Sequential progression appears more complex because topic transfer is not direct or obvious. Instead of handing a baton off to the next runner, the exchange is interrupted. The race continues but it seems less direct. In actuality, writers from cultures using sequential progression see this type of writing as effective because it incorporates crucial details. From a sequential perspective, writers from cultures emphasizing parallel progression appear simple and obvious, whereas parallel-progression writers view sequential-progression documents as delayed and unfocused.

Extended parallel progression is when a document introduction and conclusion are consistent, but are separated by a non-sequential body. In this respect, extended parallel progression combines elements of both parallel progression and sequential progression. The effect is one in which a claim is stated, shifts suddenly to a related but peripheral point, and then returns to the original claim. Russian, French and Spanish writers follow extended parallel progression.

All three types of global coherence begin and end with an implicit or explicit claim. But their paths are different. One strategy gives a sense that the argument proceeds directly from beginning to end. Another jumps from one sentence to the next, leaping from comment to topic. And a third strategy ties both ends of the text together with loose filler. The essential point behind these different writing strategies is that they are all examples of good writing. The problem comes when reading a document with different cultural assumptions.

 

If you would like to learn how to write a business report in English follow these tips and use the example report as a template on which to base your own business report. First of all, business reports provide important information for management that is timely and factual. English learners writing business reports need to make sure that the language is precise and concise. The writing style used for business reports should present information without strong opinions, but rather as direct and accurately as possible.

· Reports: Example Report

· Terms of Reference

Margaret Anderson, Director of Personnel has requested this report on employee benefits satisfaction. The report was to be submitted to her by 28 June.

Procedure

A representative selection of 15% of all employees were interviewed in the period between April 1st and April 15th concerning:

· Overall satisfaction with our current benefits package

· Problems encountered when dealing with the personnel department

· Suggestions for the improvement of communication policies

· Problems encountered when dealing with our HMO (Health Maintenance Organisation)

Findings

- Employees were generally satisfied with the current benefits package.

- Some problems were encountered when requesting vacation due to what is perceived as long approval waiting periods.

- Older employees repeatedly had problems with HMO prescription drugs procedures.

- Employees between the ages of 22 and 30 report few problems with HMO.

- Most employees complain about the lack of dental insurance in our benefits package.

- The most common suggestion for improvement was for the ability to process benefits requests online.

Conclusions

1. Older employees, those over 50, are having serious problems with our HMO's ability to provide prescription drugs.

2. Our benefits request system needs to be revised as most complaints concerning in-house processing.

3. Improvements need to take place in personnel department response time.

4. Information technology improvements should be considered as employees become more technologically savvy.

Recommendations

· Meet with HMO representatives to discuss the serious nature of complaints concerning prescription drug benefits for older employees.

· Give priority to vacation request response time, as employees need faster approval in order to be able to plan their vacations.

· Take no special actions for the benefits package of younger employees.

· Discuss the possibility of adding an online benefits requests system to our company Intranet.

MEMO

From: (person or group sending the memo)

To: (person or group to whom the memo is addressed)

RE: (the subject of the memo, this should be in bold)

1. The term "memorandum" can be used instead of "memo".

2. A memo is generally is not as formal as a written letter. However, it is certainly not as informal as a personal letter.

3. The tone of a memo is generally friendly as it is a communication between colleagues.

4. Keep the memo concise and to the point.

5. If necessary, introduce the reason for the memo with a short paragraph.

6. Use bullet points to explain the most important steps in a process.

7. Use a short thank you to finish the memo. This need not be as formal as in a written letter.

 

To learn how to write a business email, remember the following:

Business emails are generally less formal than business letters. Business emails written to colleagues are generally direct and ask for specific actions to be taken. It's important to keep your business emails short, as the easier it is to reply to an email the more likely it is that a business contact will reply quickly.

Example 1: Formal

The first example shows how to write a formal business email. Note the less formal "Hello" in the salutation combined with a more formal style in the actual email.

 

Hello,

I read on your web site that you offer Music CD copying for large quantities of CDs. I'd like to inquire about the procedures involved in these services. Are the files transferred online, or are the titles sent by CD to you by standard mail? How long does it usually take to produce approximately 500 copies? Are there any discounts on such a large quantity?

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I look forward to your response.

Jack Finley
Sales Manager

Young Talent Inc.
(709) 567 - 3498

Example 2: Informal

The second example shows how to write an informal email. Notice the more conversational tone throughout the email. It's as if the writer were speaking on the phone

 

At 16.22 01/07 20…, you wrote:

> I hear you're working on the Smith account. If you need any information don't hesitate to get in > contact with me.

 

Hi Tom,

Listen, we've been working on the Smith account and I was wondering if you could give me a hand? I need some inside information on recent developments over there. Do you think you could pass on any information you might have?

Thanks

Peter Thompsen
Account Manager

Tri-State Accounting
(698) 345 - 7843

Example 3: Very Informal

In the third example, you can see a very informal email, which is very similar to texting. Use this type of email only with colleagues with whom you have a close working relationship.

At 11.22 01/12 20…, you wrote:

> I'd like a suggestion for a consulting firm.

How about Smith and Sons?

KB

Letters

1. Make sure that your letterhead includes a fax number. If it doesn't, type it directly beneath the letterhead. Faxing continues to be an important component of doing business in China.

2. If a letter is generated on organizational letterhead, enter a document number on the far right side of the page, below the letterhead. This number identifies the letter's place in the organization's history of letters, as well as other information. North American use of reference numbers is not as common as it is in Chinese companies.

3, Beneath the document number but on the left side of the page, type only the name of the addressee's organization (not the address), followed by the name and appropriate title of the individual addressee. Chinese names are traditionally written with the surname (family name) first, followed by the given name. If your addressee has already written it with the given name first, though, continue to follow that form.

4. Write a salutation ("Dear ______:") as you would in a North American letter, then body of the letter, with an introductory paragraph, body paragraph(s), and a closing paragraph.

5. The sender name and date are typed toward the right side of the page, without a complimentary close. Dates are typed immediately under the sender name, in year-month-day format without commas (ex: 2007-05-16), rather than in the month-day-year North American format (May 16, 2007). Use of numbers instead of month names is a more regular occurrence.

6. As with a North American letter, type "CC" for anyone receiving an additional copy of the letter, followed by their names. A list of enclosures is optional.

e.g. YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL LETTERHEAD

Fax number

#CF 4872

New Millennium Electronics

Ms. Chang Biyu

 

Dear Ms. Chang

I am writing to provide more information on the sales presentation taking place on Friday, June 15.

The merchandise samples, brochures, and presentation slides have all been prepared, and our sales team is in the process of tailoring their presentation to the particular needs of your company. I have enclosed a copy of the brochure and photographs of the merchandise samples for you to inspect. Right now, we believe the presentation will take about one hour. If you would like more or less time, we are very flexible and would be happy to accommodate you.

Please do not hesitate to e-mail ([e-mail]) if you have any questions. I am looking forward to meeting you in person on the fifteenth.

Your Name

2007-5-16

CC: Names

Memos

1. Memos are printed on organizational letterhead, and in many cases, all contact information (address, e-mail address, telephone, and fax number) is included. If any of these are missing, type them on the bottom after your name, not on the top.

2. Memorandum numbers, comparable to the letter reference numbers noted above are included near the top of the page, underneath organizational letterhead, on the left side of the page. Enter the date immediately below the memorandum number.

3. Below the date and in the center of the page, type the subject (you don't need to say “subject” or “re”), and below that, type "From" and your name. Unlike North American memos, there is no explicit mention of the recipient's name.

4. Type the body of the memo.

5. Type your name again along the left side of the page. Include contact information if it is not included in the letterhead.

e.g. YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL LETTERHEAD

Memorandum #60320

2007.5.17

June 15 Sales Presentation Preparations

From: You

 

Photographs of the merchandise to be displayed during the June 15 sales presentation will be circulated over the next week, along with copies of the sales brochure. Please enter your comments on both in the feedback form below this memo, and send them to me by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 21.

Your Name

[e-mail]

 

As is the case in nearly every country, Chinese businesses use A4 paper (210 × 297 mm/8.27 × 11.7 inches), rather than the 8 ½ × 11 inch (215.9 × 279.44 mm) letter and 8 ½ × 14 inch (216 × 356 mm) legal sizes that are standard in the United States and Canada. You will also find B5 paper (6.9 × 9.8 inches, 176 × 250 mm) in use on occasion, although not nearly as often as A4. Format your documents accordingly, by changing the paper size used by Microsoft Word (click File, then Page Setup; click the Paper tab, choose the paper size from the pull down menu, then click OK). You can also format PDF files, by clicking File, then Page Setup, and choosing A4 from the Size pull down menu before clicking OK—but this is not something you will be forced to do, since Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat both re-size pages to automatically fit the user’s paper size. Web pages and other electronic documents that are not meant for print follow universal display standards, and do not need to be formatted differently.

For domestic mail in China, it is important to use only 260 mm × 185 mm (10.24 × 7.28 inch) envelopes. Domestic mail sent in envelopes that do not correspond to this size will be returned.

· Style Considerations

For the most part, the norms of North American business writing are valued in Chinese business writing. There are, however, some subtle but important variations in discourse that your writing should reflect, enabling you to better connect with your audiences.

“Cold calling” as it is understood in North America happens far less often in Chinese contexts.* This does not mean that strangers do not communicate with one another to open talks for business, of course. It does mean that a writer will refer to any commonalities they share with their addressee. This can be a reference to a common acquaintance:

My long-time colleague, Mr. Li Jianguo, has often mentioned the quality of your company’s electronics repairs.

It can also take the form of an assumed awareness of the addressee’s particular circumstances (an important strategy in sales letters):

Your firm is growing, so of course you would be interested in finding out how to access new overseas markets.

Official communications, letters and other written communications that are not primarily personal, come under the general heading of the term “gongwen.” Within gongwen, there are three kinds of relationships: superior to subordinate (“xiaxing”), equal to equal (“pingxing”), and subordinate to superior (“shangxing”). What constitutes “xiaxing” (ex., a memo announcing layoffs) and “shangxing” (ex., a human resources report to a supervisor) is usually obvious across cultures, but “pingxing” encompasses most sales writing, as well as official letters. In each case, remain conscious of the language that you use to convey deference, respectful leadership, or equality of status.**

Use titles and family names in all your business correspondence. Do not use given names by themselves.

 

 

PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS

Tasks

1. Write the missing words (1-8) to complete the framework of the letter acknowledging a complaint.

WATER WORLD

Dear Mr. Opik

I apologise (0) for missing your recent call concerning your new pool. I was also sorry and surprised to hear that you have (1) ____ problems with it so soon.

(2) ___ you will recall, when we originally discussed __________________

As a (3) ___ of this, we feel that it is not ____________________________

In (4) ___ to resolve this problem, I suggest that _____________________

If you like, I would be very (5) ___ to come _________________________

I look forward to (6) ___ (7) ___ you.

Yours (8) ___

Selma Chakrabati

 

ADVERT

TIPS for writing reports

Tip 1. Keep the title of the report short. It only needs to tell your reader the subject.

Tip 2. Divide your report into sections to make it easier to read. Use headings such as Introduction, Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations.

Tip 3. State the aim of the report in the introduction. This will include why you have been asked to write it and what you will have done by the end.

Tip 4. In the findings section describe the facts and information. Avoid giving your opinion at this stage.

Tip 5. In the final section, make recommendations based on the findings and propose action.

 

Example Report.

REPORT ON ____________________________________________________

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this report is to __________________________________________

FINDINGS

Over the last three months, the number of visitors has ____________. There are two reasons for the increase. First of all, we launched ____________.

Secondly in May ______________.

With regards to costs, banners have cost _______________ but very few ____.

On the other hand, the newsletter ____________.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In order to increase this number I would recommend that _________________.

 

Choose a website you are familiar with (a website you like to visit). Imagine you have been asked by the website designers to help improve the website. Describe what you (and your colleagues) like about it, say what could be improved and make some recommendations. Write a short report (120-140 words). Use some of the expressions above.

 

INTERCULTURAL WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

 

 

LECTURE 1

CHALLENGES OF WRITING INTERNATIONALLY

Writing international business letters is never easy but very often confusing and misleading. While many of the genres and conventions of business writing in English are found everywhere, some are unique to particular contexts, and may prove challenging to those attempting to do business in those contexts. Being able to create appropriate formal and informal written business documents in these contexts not only contributes to a more efficient business enterprise but also enables the writer to be seen as knowledgeable and culturally sensitive.

Just like oral or non-verbal communication, the norm of a country way of writing and accustomed written form is important to learn and understand. In this mode of communication the goal is to figure out the difference in writing style based on cultural behaviour and normal practice.

In this respect we must clarify the notions of high context and low context cultures. High-context culture and the contrasting low-context culture are terms presented by the anthropologist Edward T. Hall in his 1976 book Beyond Culture. It refers to a culture's tendency to use high-context messages over low-context messages in routine communication. This choice between speaking styles indicates whether a culture will cater to in-groups, an in-group being a group that has similar experiences and expectations, from which inferences are drawn. In a higher-context culture, many things are left unsaid, letting the culture explain. Words and word choice become very important in higher-context communication, since a few words can communicate a complex message very effectively to an in-group (but less effectively outside that group), while in a low-context culture, the communicator needs to be much more explicit and the value of a single word is less important.

It may be interesting and surprising enough to find out which languages and cultures around the world are referred to one culture or another. Here are many of them.

Higher-context cultures Lower-context cultures

· African Australian

· Arabic Dutch

· Brazilian English Canadian

· Chinese French Canadian

· Filipinos English

· French Finnish

· Greek German

· Hawaiian Israeli

· Hungarian New Zealand

· Indian Scandinavia

· Indonesian Switzerland

· Italian United States

· Irish

· Japanese

· Korean

· Latin Americans

· Nepali

· Pakistani

· Persian

· Portuguese

· Russian

· Southern United States

· Spanish

· Thai

· Turkish

· Vietnamese

· South Slavic

· West Slavic

 

Low context and high context have a lot to do with writing to someone in another country as this preference will be clearly visible in the content of the letter or contract. For example, if a high context culture values formality and tradition, those of low context would remember to be extremely polite.

Another example is, a Japanese writer may start his/her business letter with writing about the weather or season and relate issues and concerns with nature, whereas a North American writer would kindly get to the point efficiently and effectively. In this case if the North American was trying to get business from the Japanese, it would be smart to incorporate their method of written communication.

Here is a fragment taken from the Internet, related with the topic of our interest: “What is the proper way to address Norwegian person when writing a business letter?” Thomas E.Williams answers: “As an Englishman currently working in Norway, let me start by saying Hi! Hei! (norsk) is literally the only introduction I have ever used or received whilst corresponding with individuals and businesses in Norway by email, which goes some way to explaining the informality of written communication in this country.

It is short and to the point. For a formal letter, I would recommend holding with the traditional format if you are writing in English, s this is generally well received. When writing a letter in Norwegian, a short title outlining the subject of the letter

e.g. Proposal for further development replaces a formal introduction.

There are no Dear Sirs or Norwegian equivalent. One would rarely refer to a single person or use the word you, which possibly harks back to the old days in Europe and the nonsense that was formal/informal use of you (which has now almost disappeared from general use in Norway). If it is used, it is most likely that it would be the plural form dere ”.

Correspondence, whether it is by letter, fax, or email, is a key aspect of the world of commerce and business. It reflects on the competence and professionalism of the person who has written it and the company he or she works for. Clear, effective correspondence is an important part of running an efficient business, and can promote good relations. Unclear or confusing correspondence can cause many problems, and can lead to misunderstandings, delays, lost business, and poor relations between individuals, departments, and companies. Therefore, writing skills – what is written and how it is expressed – should as much a part of a business education as accountancy or economics. So, the faster you acquaint yourself with accepted modes of written communication, the better.

General advice on what you need to consider for intercultural written messages are presented here, while more detailed tips concerning particular type of commercial correspondence will be offered to your attention in the following lectures.

· Consider adjusting to the local styles. Learn and apply the organization, format, tone and style your reader may be accustomed to.

· Use titles, ranks, and last names as in many cultures it is degrading and inconsiderate of one not to mention or care to include a given status.

· Short sentences and paragraphs should be used so the document can be read easily. It is said a sentence should not consists of more than 15-25 words.

· Avoid vague and confusing expressions like certain idioms (a dime a dozen), cliches ( worn out expressions like busy as a bee ), slang (props to you), abbreviations (ttul for talk to you later), and jargon. Incorporate action specific words (ex: sell the product instead of get rid of the product).

· Be clear. Avoid words with 2 meanings. For example, use return instead of bring back or maintain instead of keep up.

· Use correct grammar and spelling. Be sure to double check, otherwise it would be an embarrassment considering we are from a country that mostly communicates in English.

 

One more quite interesting aspect should not be omitted in our discussion devoted to business correspondence. The English language has often been described as a “living” language. This means that it grows and renews itself by a never-ending process of taking up new words and expressions and pushing obsolete and worn-out ones into the background to languish or die. The process is slow: each age adds something to the national heritage, something that is typical of the spirit of that age. The result is clearly seen in the writing and speech of that age. In this respect we can quote a comment taken from the Internet: Bill, January 27, 2015 12:48 pm

“…email has changed the way we communicate in writing. Using a true letter format is now far less frequent than an email memo one. This makes the use of “dear” stand out as an exception rather than a rule. I’d bet that people under thirty begin letters with “dear” far less frequently those over thirty. Using “dear” will soon be a sign of age, and then will morph into a sign of fuddy-duddiness and will therefore be avoided by most. There will be occasional resurgences of its use by the young who will use it in a humorous, retro way, but other than that, it will be as common as ending a letter with things like “Your faithful servant”.”

PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS