Business Correspondence: Main Rules and the Specifics of Translation

Abstract

Abstract: The article discusses the issue of business correspondence, its rules and etiquette, which is highly important in modern world as a great number or e-mails and business letters are sent and received every day throughout the world. So, the ability to correspond in business sphere is a crucial skill for the employees of multinational companies as well as for those who communicate internationally in different fields. It also concerns the cross-cultural aspect of organizing and translating business letters taking into consideration the key role of international communication due to the growing globalization of our society, and a lot of attention is paid to the national differences and peculiarities we may face while establishing contacts with foreign colleagues and partners. It analyses numerous studies and articles written by linguists, interpreters as well as by business coaches who, basing on their research and experience give advice and suggest solutions to different challenges we may face in this sphere. The article focuses on the different issues, such as the language and style, the structure and layout, the peculiarities and difficulties of translation, the things which should be avoided and are inappropriate in business letters. A lot of advice with numerous examples are given in order to avoid misinterpreting when it comes to cross-culture communication as well as embarrassing mistakes and those mistakes, which may have serious professional consequences. The article focuses six different problematic areas in business letter translation. These include: lexical-semantic problems; grammar; syntax; rhetoric; and pragmatic and cultural problems. The information must be interesting and useful for those who deals with business communication on international level as well as career coaches and business consultants in order to provide them with advice appropriately and help to improve and systemize necessary knowledge and skills to handle business correspondence successfully.