探究外贸英语函电中语气的应用方法-教育文档

shall be glad if you will check this with our order and the copy of your invoice.

（3）We should like to inquire if your are interested in expanding your business to tiffs year. 5.使用虚拟句

表达希望或意见时可用虚拟句，以示有礼貌。如： （1）We wish you would let US have your reply soon. （2）Would you compare our sample with the goods of other firms.

（3）We should be grateful if you would help US with your suggestions. 6.使用过去时和进行式

英语中一些表示态度的词，如hope，think，wonder，want等，它们的过去时又称“态度过去时”（attitudinal past），（Quirk et al，1985），具有试探功能，能间接地表达请求、建议、劝告等言语行为，它们的过去时较现在时显得委婉、客气。“Did you want to see the newly―designed product？”较“Do you want to see the newly―designed product？”礼貌。 英语中的进行式也可表达委婉的语气。一些动词，如上文的hope，think，wonder，want等，其进行式比一般式更客气些。如：

（1）1 wonder if you could lower the price.

（2）I am wondering if you could lower the price. （3）1 was wondering if you could lower the price. 上述三句中，后一句总比前一句显得更礼貌。 7.使用婉转语句

使用婉转语句以免刺激对方，常用的婉转语句有：We are afraid/We would say/We may say/We might say/We（would）think/It （would）seems to us/We（would）suggest/As you are（maybe）aware/As we need hardly point out等等。如： （1）It was unwise of you to have done that.应改为：We would say that it was unwise of you to have done that. （2）You ought to have done that.应改为：It seems to us that you ought to have done that.

（3）We cannot comply with your request.应改为：We are afraid we cannot comply with your request. 8.使用含有客气语意的句子

（1）We demand immediate payment from you.应改为：We request your immediate payment.

（2）We are disgusted with your manner of doing business.应改为：We are not completely satisfied with your manner of doing business.

（3）We must refuse your order.应改为：We regret that we are not in fl position to accept your order.

这三句中，“demand”一词有不客气地要求之意，语气太重，改为“request”则显得客气，使人看起来较舒服。“disgust”或“hate等词，语气都很重，“do not like”或“dislike”则语气稍缓和，不至使收信人觉得受不了。“We must？”带有威胁之意，“refuse”也语气太强。 三、态度诚恳真挚，不卑不亢

贸易双方平等互惠，以诚相待。双方无论大小，其社会地位是平等的，在函电中一定要诚恳真挚，不卑不亢。不宜自高自大，对对方要尊重，始终客客气气，彬彬有礼。当然这种客气要把握一定的度，过分的客气往往让人觉得你缺乏诚意，而溜须拍马、卑躬屈膝则为对方所不齿。因此在语气上礼貌要适度，方能如实地表达你的诚恳与真挚。如：

（1）Kindly ship the enclosed order and obliged. 句中“and obliged”这个词放在旬末以示谦恭，显得卑屈，毫无意义.应予删除。应改为：Please ship the enclosed order immediately.

（2）Kindly mail US any information you may have for removing oil spot.Tilank you in advance for the favor. 句中“thank you in advance”预先致谢会使收信人觉得非做不可，与其说是谦恭，不如说不礼貌，应改为：“appreciate”。 （3）Having the pleasure Io inform/submit/enclose；Have the pleasure of informing/submitting/enclosing；Take

pleasure in doing…。

句中的客套话如能适当应用，可给人好感。如应用太多则显得虚伪：如向对方讨债、谴责、索赔等也用这些客套话，会令人啼笑皆非。

（4）Beg to acknowledge；beg to inform；beg to advise；beg to assure；beg tO confirnl；beg tO state；beg to call 3\；beg to state；beg to suggest；beg to enclose；beg to say…

句型中beg一词过于谦卑，买卖双方地位平等，象beggar一样使劲beg，未免卑屈，令人瞧不起，不应用于商业书信。 （5）ttoping for all imnmdiate answer；Hoping to hear from you；Hoping tO be favored with a reply.

这样的表述充分显示写信人的矜持与无能，没有自信心，宜改为：

We are looking forward to your prompt reply.或改为：we are looking forward to hearing from you soon. （6）Our records show；According to our records；Our records do not show.

这样的表达方法犯了夜郎自大的毛病，好像自己的纪录最正确、最具有权威性。因此应改为：We find...；we do not find？；或We fail to find...

四、多为对方着想的“You Attitude”