CC BY
32
каких-либо актуальных сведений, а передачу посред- рующая функция объективирует определенный ход
ством текста субъективной точки зрения на предмет мыслей читателя на основе содержательной структуры
изложения. Зачастую оценка перемежается с навязы- текста. Причем стимуляция носит тонкий психологи-
ванием собственной позиции, определенного ракурса чески воздействующий характер, способствующий вы-
понимания ситуации, описанной в тексте. Стимули- работке у читателя определенной позиции.
Список литературы:
1. Клушина Н. И. Общие особенности публицистического стиля//Язык СМИ как объект междисциплинарного исследования/Отв. ред. М. Н. Володина. - М., - 2003. - С. 269-289.
2. Кара-Мурза С. Г. Манипуляция сознанием. - М.: Изд-во: Эксмо, - 2005. - 832 с.
3. Засорина Т. Профессия - журналист. - Ростов н/Д.: Феникс, - 1999. - 318 с.
4. Кубанова А. З. Субстантивное словосочетание как единица синтаксической номинации в роли газетного заголовка: автореф. дис. ... канд. филол. наук. - Таганрог, - 2007. - 16 с.
5. Лютая А. А. Современный заголовок: структура, семантика, прагматика: дис. ... канд. филол. наук. - Волгоград, - 2008. - 164 с.
6. Верещинская Ю. В. Испанский газетный заголовок: лингвопрагматический и национально-культурный аспекты: автореф. дис. ... канд. филол. наук. - М., - 2013. - 22 с.
7. Стровский Д. Объективность информации как необходимое условие журналистского познания. - 2004. - № 8 [98]//http://www.relga.ru/Environ/WebObjects/tg;u-www.woa/wa/Main?textid=237&level1=main&level2=articles
8. Шевченко В. Э. Визуальный контент как тенденция современной журналистики//Медиаскоп. - 2014. -№ 4. - URL: http://www.mediascope.ru/node/1654
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20534/EJLL-16-4-6-9
Gasimova Naila, Huseynova Farida, Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University E-mail: [email protected]
How to learn trust and confidence when we write letters, reports, email messages or other business documents
Abstract: Every business letter is written to a purpose; each has its own special aim, and one of the features of this paper is its use of explanation to show how the various letters set out to achieve their aims. Most people don't really notice the quality of the writing they read-they simply react positively, negatively, or not at all. But if there's a better way to write, why not to use it! In the article some useful rules for written communication are described in order to gain yourself a great advantage-you put your personality and individuality into your writing. This will help you to stand out more and make a greater connection with your reader.
Keywords: written communication, writing style, building relationships, concise language, sentence construction, interaction, skill.
1. Introduction. We don't have all these visual cues in written com-
Talking to someone face-to-face, you have a lot ofvi- munication. How can we earn trust and confidence when
sual clues to help you- your tone of voice, gestures, move- we write letters, reports, email messages or other business
ments and eye contact. May be it is unfair, but in the documents? In written communication you have to find
everyday world we are judged and influenced by all these other ways to evaluate the person who is writing. criteria, and more-even our occupation, status, dress and People do that by looking at "style". Style means pay-
the way we look. And like it or not, it's through the way ing attention to proper spelling, punctuation and sen-
we speak and look that we earn trust and confidence. tence construction.
Style also means:
• Being creative in what we write and how we write;
• Making our communication look visually attractive by leaving a line space between each paragraph;
• Using numbered points or bullets appropriately;
• Using headings of a consistent style;
• Considering the appropriate tone in your writing;
• Structuring your messages logically;
We first have to change the way we wrote earlier. Let us name points we have to change in our writing.
• We have to get straight to the point, using everyday language instead of beating about the bush with old-fashioned, useless phrases;
• Our messages have to be structured more logically so the reader can clearly see the action needed;
• We have to try to avoid the passive phrases that we used to use, like Please be informed, Kindly be advised, Please find attached, etc.
• We have to seem more approachable because our language is less formal and much friendlier, as though we are having a conversation.
When conducting business today, using language effectively will go a long way towards achieving positive results. Good communicators go to considerable trouble to become competent in the English language, and it's often achieved gradually through a life-long learning process. Time, patience and hard work will bring enormous rewards and satisfaction, not to mention great results.
The language used in business today should be simple, courteous, relaxed and straightforward. Some of the key reasons why we need to work on our language in all your written communications are emphasized throughout this article. They are:
1. To establish relationships. People get an impression of us from the first email they receive, so it's important to make a connection by using appropriate words and phrases. For example, "We spoke" or "As spoken" will not have the same effect on our reader as "Thanks for your call" or "It was great to speak to you".
2. To communicate our ideas precisely. Using unsuitable or incorrect expressions, or a long-winded writing style, will not give the reader the right meaning or the right impression. It will only lead to misunderstandings and lengthy correspondence to clarify.
3. To convey a good impression. Concise, accurate, clear language will fill the reader with confidence. Careless or inaccurate expressions will do the opposite. Readers may question if such carelessness will extend to other business dealings to.
The article will help you to create a great writing style that will build trust and confidence in all your relationships. It contains a great number of tips for better business writing.
This article is useful for:
• executives and managers who regularly compose their own correspondence. Many managers now compose their own correspondence on their desktop, laptop or notebook. These ready-to-use documents can be copied or adapted to meet your precise needs. They will help you to say what you want to say and achieve the desired results. You will be able to save time and do your job better, more effectively and easily, without scratching your head for ages thinking about where to start or what to write.
• Overseas users. Overseas users will appreciate the value of this comprehensive resource article. It will be especially useful in dealing with international business transactions using modern business language.
• Students and lecturers. Students following a business, professional, secretarial or administrative examination course often need to compose business letters and other business documents.
How is the article organized?
We have organized the article so that you can hop around to the topics that interest you. You will find some inspiration to get you started and some useful tips to help you finish the task very easily.
1. An overview.
2. Building relationships.
3. Sentence construction matters.
4. Business writing basics.
5. 21-st century business language.
2. Communication: an overview.
Many years ago snail mail was the only mail. Telex was the main method of sending a message over any distance. The introduction of fax made a big difference to the speed with which we communicated. Then along came email and instant messaging. Our working environment is in a constant state of change, and no doubt that will continue at an even faster rate. We need to work even harder on our communication skills because of some reasons:
• Advancing technology. The Internet, email, fax messages, voice mail, instant messaging, teleconferencing, videoconferencing, wireless devices-all this technology has transformed the way we communicate. We can work together whether we are at home, at an airport or in the office due to modern technology. We can be in Azerbaijan and work together with people in Sydney due to advanced technology! With every phone call or email, our communication skills revealed for everyone to see.
• Global communication. More and more businesses are now working on a global scale across national boundaries. Many people now work for multinational companies, and today's workforce all over the world now includes increasing numbers of people from different ethnic backgrounds. If we are able to communicate effectively in this environment, we must understand other people's backgrounds, beliefs and characters.
• The information age. With an increase in the amount of information in today's business world, we must be able to make quick, effective decisions based on the information we receive. We must also know how to find, assess, process and communicate information efficiently and effectively. With so much information available today, it is a constant challenge to get our recipient's attention so that they will read and act appropriately on our message.
• Team-based business environments. In today's fast-paced business world, the traditional management hierarchy has changed, and team working is now in vogue. In such a team -based environment it is important to study and understand how groups work together. We must learn to listen and watch other people carefully so that we interpret all the non-verbal cues we receive.
3. Building relationships.
Nobody has a job that requires them to work alone. We must all interact with various levels ofstaff-with bosses, managers, supervisors, colleagues and co-workers, and with junior staff. The key to our success in our job and career will not be gaining more paper qualifications. Our success will depend on our ability to develop relationships.
Communication is our lifeblood, and it's the life-blood of any organisation. Excellent communication skills are probably the most important career and personal skills we can possess. But people aren't just "born" writers or speakers. The more we write and the more we speak, the more our skills will improve.
Improving our communication skills will put us ahead of other people when it comes to getting a job, gaining promotion, even just getting our job done. More importantly, developing our communication skills will help us to build successful relationships both personally and professionally.
Every day we interact with dozens ofpeople, whether it's on the phone, face to face, along the corridor, in the lift, in group discussions, meetings, or ofcourse in writing. All outcomes are determined as a result of interactions with others. If people avoid us, it will be impossible to get work done. Our professional effectiveness at work will largely, therefore, depend on how much people are willing to interact with us.
Seven key factors to building great relationships:
• Be courteous. Courtesy is the oil that keeps the engine of any relationship running smoothly.
• Find common interest. Making an effort to get to know our colleagues or clients we can then build on commonalities.
• Build credibility. Credibility comes with transparency, engagement and honest hard work.
• Make others feel important. One of the most fundamental rules of developing relationships is to respect other people's feelings.
• Show humility. Interestingly, very often the higher people rise and the more accomplishments they have, the higher their humility index.
• Listen actively. Take an interest in other people by listening to them.
• Be empathic. Empathy is all about getting to know people and understanding how they feel.
Successful people consider relationships not as a means to an end, but to get a job done. Strong relationships create loyalty, build trust and instill confidence, and are ultimately the key to success.
4. Sentence construction matters.
It is very important to use full sentences or get our grammar right-both orally and in writing. Any error leads to misunderstanding, confusion and breakdown in communication. Incorrect punctuation or grammar can also lower our credibility.
Many people make grammatical mistakes because they do not understand the rules properly, or simply through carelessness.
• Remember that becoming a good communicator is a life-long learning process. It won't happen overnight.
• Enhance your credibility by paying attention to grammar and sentence construction.
• Get to know the various parts of speech and how they work together.
• Get your sentence structure right, and make sure your verb matches your subject.
• Read sentence out loud to hear pace and rhythm, and help you get the punctuation in the right place.
• Keep your sentences short.
• Convey an impression of efficiency by using clear, concise, accurate language.
• Make a great first impression from the very first email you send.
5. Business writing basics.
Have you ever wondered why you didn't get the reply you wanted after writing a message?
Whoever you are and whatever you write, your writing can often mean the difference between success and
failure. If our writing is full of standard template phrases that show no feeling and no personality, we are telling our reader we can't be bothered. Such wording also comes across as much more formal and insincere. Today's readers want to see your personality, your passion, your enthusiasm, instead of boring, stock phrases that are decades old.
This is the most important part for us if we want to learn how to become a better business writer. Effective writing can help us to achieve our goals, influence people to our viewpoint. Effective writing can also help us to be a better leader and build relationships. This will ultimately be the key to our success.
6. 21st century business language.
In the middle of the 20th century, business was conducted in a much more impassive, formal way than it is today. The writing that evolved then became very formal. Writers used long-winded, quite overbearing language. They thought they would impress their readers. Passive voice was used extensively, putting a distance between a writer and the reader.
Business today is conducted in a very informal way. In meetings and conferences we use a natural, more relaxed, friendly language rather than unnatural, formal language that was used before. Nowadays we more use active voice to get the point quicker. The aim in business in general is to develop relationships first, and this can be done through connecting well and using appropriate language.
The language used in our writing today should be simple, courteous, relaxed and straightforward, quite conversational. Here are some of the key reasons why we to relax our language in all our written communications:
• To establish relationships. People get an impression of you from the first email they receive, so it's important to make a connection by using appropriate words and phrases. For example, "We spoke" or "As spoken" will not have the same effect on your reader as "Thanks for your call" or "It was great to speak to you".
• To communicate your ideas precisely. Using unsuitable or incorrect expressions, or a long-winded writ-
ing style, will not give the reader the right meaning or the right impression. It will only lead to misunderstandings, confusion and lengthy correspondence to clarify.
• To convey a good impression. Clear, concise, accurate language will give an impression of efficiency, and will fill the reader with confidence. Careless or inaccurate expressions will do the opposite. Readers may question if such carelessness will extend to other business dealings too.
Seven deadly sins of today's business writing:
1. Redundant expressions;
2. Long-winded words and phrases;
3.Passive voice;
4. Yesterday's language;
5. Writing differently to how we speak;
6. Commas instead of full stops;
7. Thank you and Regards. Why do so many people need to say" Regards" or "Thank you" at the end of a message? Thank you for what? For reading my email? If you have something to thank the reader for, you might consider ending with "Thank you for your help", "Thank you for your patience", "Thank you for your understanding" or something similar.
7. Conclusions.
So what's the secret of composing good business messages in plain English? It's really no secret at all. Ifyou want to be understood, you must use simple language, and put your message across in a natural way, using a courteous style, and using language you would use ifyou were speaking. We have to show a genuine interest in our reader and his/her problems. The tone of our writing must be appropriate, the language must be modern; we have to avoid nominalisations (using a noun instead of a verb), we have to use positive language and we must be consistent. We need to be able to transfer thoughts and ideas from ourselves to another person. To do this effectively, we must put ourselves in the place of the reader and imagine how they will accept what is written in the tone used. We must anticipate the reader's needs, wishes, interests, problems, and consider the best way of dealing with the specific situation.
1. 2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
References:
Jack E. Appleman. "Ten Steps to Successful Business Writing", - January 13, - 2008.
Neil Taylor. "Brilliant Business Writing",2nd edition.
Lynn Gartner -Johnston. "Business Writing with Heart", - 2014.
Andrea B. Geffner."How to Write Better Business Letters", - 2007.
Michael Muckian, John Woods. "Business letter Handbook", - 1997.
Diane Larsen-Freeman. "Grammar Dimensions", Platinum edition. Book 3., - 2000.
