英語專業(yè)畢業(yè)論文-簡明英語運動對商務(wù)英語寫作的影響

1、The Influence of the Plain English Movement on Business English Writing簡明英語運動對商務(wù)英語寫作的影響B(tài)yYang PinghaoSupervised byProf. Luo RuntianMay 20th, 2011College of Foreign Languages and CulturesChengdu University of TechnologyThe Influence of the Plain English Movement on Business English WritingStudent: Ya

2、ng Pinghao Class: 2007110102Supervisor: Prof. Luo RuntianAbstractAbout three decades ago the Plain English Movement began, and so far it has developed on a spectacular scale around the globe. It was then against gobbledygook and fighting for the benefit of ordinary people; now it is, almost the same

3、 but more positively, against the waste of time and money and fighting for effective and comfortable communication.Plain English has certainly entered the world of business. For a field that is so in need of efficiency, it has helped a lot. Written communication in business is like a cornerstone. Pe

4、ople conduct the majority of their transactions via it for its permanency and accuracy. With the globalization of economy, business English, or efficient business English becomes more and more essential. So the old style of business English, long-winded and obscure, starts to appear helpless or even

5、 cause more trouble. Thats why plain English is now widely accepted and practiced.Due to the influence of plain English, business people begin to make their writings shorter by employing simpler words and removing needless jargons. In this way, they express themselves more clearly and help the reade

6、rs understand them more easily. A number of examples are presented in this paper to show how plain English actually helps to simplify business writing. But the purpose of plain English is not merely to simplify, totally denying traditional business English, but to state all the information in a more

7、 concise and clearer way for quicker and better understanding.The author hopes this study will help people get a better understanding of both plain English and business writing, and be better at writing business works.Key words: plain English; business writing; influence; effective communication簡明英語

8、運動對商務(wù)英語寫作的影響摘 要大約三十年前簡明英語運動興起，至今已在全球蓬勃發(fā)展。當初簡明英語運動反對官樣文章，保障普通老百姓的利益；現(xiàn)在它仍然行使著這職責，并且有了更加積極的一面：反對浪費時間和金錢，保障有效溝通。簡明英語自然也進入了商業(yè)領(lǐng)域，對于如此講求效率的商業(yè)世界多有裨益。書面通信是商業(yè)的基石，因其持久性和準確性，人們大多數(shù)的生意都是通過書面通信進行的。隨著經(jīng)濟全球化的不斷發(fā)展，商務(wù)英語，特別是高效率的商務(wù)英語扮演著越來越重要的角色。以往的商務(wù)英語冗長、晦澀，早已顯出其無用甚至反作用，而簡明英語現(xiàn)今卻被廣泛接受與使用。由于簡明英語的影響，商務(wù)工作者已開始使用簡易的單詞、去掉不必要的陳舊

9、術(shù)語，以使寫作更加簡明。這樣，他們將自己的意思表達得更清楚，也使讀者更容易明白。本文通過大量例證探討了簡明英語是如何影響商務(wù)英語，使其簡明化的。但簡明英語的目的并不是為了簡化而簡化，甚至全然否定了傳統(tǒng)商務(wù)英語，其目的實質(zhì)為將所有信息更加簡明扼要、清楚明了地呈現(xiàn)給讀者，使讀者更快更輕松地理解。作者希望這一研究可以使讀者對簡明英語與商務(wù)英語都有一定的了解，并且通過這些了解對現(xiàn)代商務(wù)英語寫作有更好的掌握。關(guān)鍵詞：簡明英語；商務(wù)寫作；影響；有效溝通ContentsAbstracti摘 要iiIntroduction11.Plain English and the Plain English Movem

10、ent1Plain English1The Definition of Plain English2Basic Principles of Plain English3The Plain English Movement4The Plain English Movement in Britain4The Plain English Movement in the US52.Business English Writing6The Definition of Business English6Practical Business English Writings62.3 Features of

11、Business English Writing73.The Influence of Plain English on Business English Writing8Why Do People Use Plain English8Obvious Changes in Business English Writing9Omission of Unnecessary and Repeated words93.2.2 Use of Simple Words and Everyday Expressions103.2.3 Avoiding the Out-of-date Commercial J

12、argons113.3 Other Inspirations of Plain English12Conclusion13Acknowledgements15Endnotes16References17The Influence of the Plain English Movement on Business English Writing簡明英語運動對商務(wù)英語寫作的影響IntroductionThe same with legal English, business English has long been considered typical written language fill

13、ed with technical terms and awkward formulaic expressions. It cant be denied, however, that changes have taken place with the development of times, and of course the most important, with the development of plain English.Plain English has become a trend in every way of our daily life, and a must in o

14、ur work and communication, especially the written form. We have a good reason to study it and make clear how it would help us for more effective communication. It has affected modern business English a lot so that the latter has become much easier to understand, thus making our work more efficient.I

15、n the first part well get an idea of Plain English and the Plain English Movement. The second part is a brief introduction of business English. In the third part the author will use a lot of examples to state how plain English has influenced business writing nowadays.1.Plain English and the Plain En

16、glish MovementIn order to discuss the influence of plain English on business English writing, wed better first acquaint ourselves with some basic knowledge of plain English and the Plain English Movement. For what reason did the Movement occur and what exactly is plain English about? The answers are

17、 in the following paragraphs.1.1Plain EnglishPlain English cannot be misunderstood as excessively simple language or baby language, or a language that lacks expression. Its an audience-oriented method of delivering information clearly and effectively with daily language and familiar words, in proper

18、 grammar and structure. The information of the plain language doesnt have to be reduced, while the redundant and obscure part of a sentence does have to be improved.1.1.1The Definition of Plain English“We define plain English as something that the intended audience can read, understand and act upon

19、the first time they read it. Plain English takes into account design and layout as well as language.”1Plain English Campaign, U.K. Plain English is a way of communication aiming at effectiveness and efficiency. Effectiveness means the readers can understand the information; while efficiency means th

20、e readers can understand the information the moment they first read it. It helps people communicate as simply and effectively as possible, using straightforward, concrete and familiar words. But its not childish or simplistic; it offers all the necessary information to the reader.We can have a look

21、at this example:A: Because we knew nothing about local conditions, we could not determine how effectively the committee had allocated funds to areas that most needed assistance.B: Our lack of knowledge about local conditions precluded determination of committee action effectiveness in fund allocatio

22、n to those areas in greatest need of assistance.2Its not strange that most of us may choose B as a better expression at the first sight, but according to Joseph M. Williams, the author of Style: Toward Clarity and Grace, the fact is the other way round. B is not good because it is filled with abstra

23、ct nouns which make the sentence hard to understand, while A is easy to understand with simple and effective verbs.Now weve already grabbed the essence of plain English.1.1.2Basic Principles of Plain EnglishFor Plain English, to determine the writing purpose and the intended audience is the foremost

24、 step. The author should put the readers first and take their need and level of knowledge into account when deciding his contents and style. Here follows its basic principles of writing.(1) Plain English should have proper arrangement and be clearly organized. If theres a large amount of information

25、 to deliver, it should be divided into logical parts. Bullet points, examples or pictures are encouraged when ones explaining a complex message.(2) Vigorous writing should be concise and to the point, containing no unnecessary words or sentences. (3) We should introduce new information on the basis

26、of the familiar information, present every action in a logical order, and put the most important information at the end of a sentence if necessary.(4) The value of a document is not proportional to its weight. So we should use simple sentence patterns and avoid excessively long sentences. But of cou

27、rse, we dont cut out words just to make it shorter; information should be explained exactly and concisely.(5) Sentence in the active voice is shorter and clearer, while in the passive voice longer and vaguer. When we write, active voice should almost take up 90% of a text. But one can still employ s

28、ome sentences in passive voice when it is necessary. For example, when one wants to stress the receiver of the action, when one wants to put new or surprising information at the end, or when one wants to evade responsibility, they tend to use passive voice.(6) Verbs, not nouns, are preferred in Engl

29、ish. Many nouns ending in “-ion” are simply verbs in disguise, but they make the sentence obscure. We can turn them into corresponding verbs to make the sentence clearer.(7) In plain English, complicated, abstract, Latin, foreign and archaic words or jargons that are not familiar to the audience sho

30、uld be avoided. Dont use a phrase if a word can do. A complicated concept can be explained by plain English almost all the time. And if an article or document is particularly for experts in a certain field, jargons within their field are also acceptable as plain.(8) We should prevent vagueness and a

31、mbiguity by putting modifiers in the right places and avoid a series of noun attributes and prepositional phrases. Meanwhile, the pronouns, such as “you”, “I” and “we”, will benefit companies and organizations. These words create a closer relationship between companies and their clients. The audienc

32、e will be more likely to cooperate when the information is conveyed with these clear and kind pronouns. So do the writing as if youre talking.(9) In most cases, neutral words are preferred, and well try any way to make the sentence free from any discrimination. Another suggestion for us is to seldom

33、 adopt negative sentences, especially double negatives, which take more time to comprehend. We should simply turn it into a positive one. In addition, wed better leave enough margins. Dont use capital letters or underlines all the time. If the layout is in a mess, the letters are too small, or their

34、 color doesnt stand out, then the reader will also have trouble in comprehending even if the writer expresses himself clearly.Plain language is easier to understand so the audience may be more patient to finish reading. Even an audience with strong reading ability would prefer plain language, for it

35、 saves time and money. Nowadays plain English is not only popular with the public, but also with professionals.1.2The Plain English MovementPlain language is not only a method or style but also a movement to offer its users understandable information. The Plain English Movement is generally a langua

36、ge revolution for a better kind of writing that is clear and easy enough for everybody, no matter what his status is, to understand and get the essential information. It was originally launched for the benefits of the common people. In the past three decades, the Plain English Movement has flourishe

37、d in numbers of countries around the world. The UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Sweden have all seen great development of the Movement in the fields of law, finance, business, technology, healthcare and so forth. The initiators of the movement include corporations, organ

38、izations and individuals, most of which are supported by governments. Plain English has already enjoyed great popularity as a means of effective communication.1.2.1The Plain English Movement in BritainThe Plain English Campaign is a non-governmental organization established by Chrissie Maher in 1979

39、, with its headquarters in New Mills, Derbyshire. That year, Ms. Maher witnessed the death of two old women who died from coldness because they couldnt understand the application form of housing benefits. She then drove to London and publicly shredded hundreds of official documents in Parliament Squ

40、are, marking the beginning of the campaign.The Plain English Campaign leads in advocating and persuading organizations in the UK and abroad to communicate with the public in plain language. It created the Crystal Mark as its seal of approval printed on documents that are considered clear enough for

41、its prospective audience to understand. So far, this symbol has been marked on over 18,300 documents worldwide, according to the Plain English Campaign itself. It has its own publications, such as Language on Trial and Plain English Magazine, and it often makes public comment about language-related

42、news stories, especially jargon.The Campaign has exerted notable influence on British government, business, law and public service; even the South African government was assisted by it to make a plain-language act. Tom McArthur, editor of the Oxford Companion to the English Language, once said, “In

43、all the history of the language, there has never been such a powerful grassroots movement to influence it as the Plain English Campaign.”31.2.2The Plain English Movement in the USIn 1971, the American National Council of Teachers of English set up a committee of plain English, which roused public at

44、tention. Four years later, the Paperwork Reduction Act was introduced. The Executive Order 12044 signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1978, requiring the federal government to make their regulations in plain English, officially supported this movement. Although the Order was abolished in 1981 by Pres

45、ident Reagan, its influence spread across the country. In 1998, President Clinton issued a presidential memorandum on plain language to “make the government more responsive, accessible, and understandable in its communication with the public”4. Thus the Plain English Movement has penetrated the Amer

46、ican government, finance, business and healthcare in almost every state.The increasing awareness of the public of their own rights and the government of their service function, are main factors making plain English popular. Competition in the business field and the globalization of the English langu

47、age also contribute a lot to its wide influence. Thus we can see other countries and areas like Ireland, India, Hong Kong, Brazil, Denmark and Finland, joining the campaign.2.Business English WritingNowadays, the word “business” doesnt simply mean exchange or trade for things people want or need, bu

48、t has a more technical definition: the production, distribution, and sale of goods and service for a profit. Its a combination of all these activities: production, distribution and sale, through which profit or economic surplus will be created.Language is a key part in the business world. And most o

49、f the transactions are carried out through business correspondence, which is still an important form of communication at this age. So now we are going to discuss something about business English writing, to get the basic knowledge and features of it.2.1The Definition of Business EnglishBusiness Engl

50、ish is a communication system in written or oral forms used by participants of business activities to realize their own business goals. The participants are bound by the industrial conventions and procedures and social and cultural factors, and they choose their words and way of speaking in differen

51、t situationsBusiness English, a part of English for Specific Purposes, is a kind of English language mainly connected with international trade. Many non-native English speakers study business English to conduct business with English-speaking countries or where English is widely used as lingua franca

52、. There are so many cases in which the communication takes place between non-native English speakers that on this occasion, the goal of business English becomes obvious: efficient and effective communication.2.2Practical Business English WritingsWith the rapid development of international trade and

53、the constant increase of economic activities, technical cooperation and cultural exchange with different countries, people make much more contact with others all around the world. Therefore, practical English writing is widely used in every field of our daily life and routine duties, especially in t

54、he profession of public relations, secretary, international business and tourism. It serves to convey information, to express ideas and exchange feelings, and to deal with social business.Generally speaking, practical business English writings can be classified into eight kinds. They are (1) letters

55、; (2) commercial documents; (3) etiquette documents, which includes congratulatory documents and condolatory documents; (4) contract; (5) informative and revelational documents; (6) expository writing; (7) bills and vouchers; and (8) documents for meeting affairs.Practical business English writing p

56、lays an important role in the international association. Its main functions are stipulation, information and understanding, and voucher.2.3 Features of Business English WritingPractical English writing, especially business English writing, is the model of practical language. Certainly it has its own

57、 characteristics that are distinct from other written forms of the language.First, business writing has a clear objective. It isnt like literary works that express ones feelings or tell stories. Instead, it is usually aimed at conveying a message effectively or completing a transaction. So its value

58、 mostly lies in the accomplishment of its purpose.Second, business writing is always dealt within a short time. Unlike a piece of literary masterpiece or a dictionary, which will last for a long time for generations, business documents and letters are just piled in the office waiting for prompt handling. This determines that the office workers wont be able to spend a lot of time on every piece of it. So it should make its readers understand the information easily and quickly and take required actions promptly and properly.Third, the success of