浅析外贸英语函电的文体特征
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[摘要] 随着对外贸易的迅猛发展, 外贸函电的作用显得越来越重要。作为重要的沟通方式, 外贸英语函电在词汇、句法和篇章三个层面体现出鲜明的文体特征。对其进行分析，有助于更好地发挥其交际功能，提高函电的写作能力，为企业树立良好的形象并密切双方的合作关系。
一、引言
随着全球经济一体化和对外贸易的发展，商务活动日益频繁。作为重要的商务沟通方式，外贸函电正在发挥着越来越重要的作用。它肩负着建立贸易双方的业务关系、沟通商务信息、塑造企业形象等多方面的社会职能，成为商务社团共同使用的、特征鲜明的、高度约定俗成的交际事件。其特定的社会功能使其呈现出突出的格式化特征、语篇结构特征和文体特征。能够在特定语境中体现特定文体功能的语言特征统称为文体特征。语言在特定社会环境中所产生的表达效果和交际功能总是通过特定的语音、词汇、句法、书写特征和篇章结构予以实现的。基于此，本文对外贸函电这一特殊书面交际文体从词汇、句法和篇章结构三个层面进行分析，旨在揭示其文体特征，加深对函电语篇的理解。
二、英语函电的文体特征
1.词汇的特征
(1)措辞礼貌客气
礼貌用语不但可以树立企业的良好形象,为双方合作创造友好的洽谈气氛, 还能事事留有余地,为进一步发展贸易关系奠定基础。收到对方的函电，无论是否愿意接受或感兴趣，都要以礼貌的语言表示诚挚的谢意。如对对方的要求表示不满，措辞也要客气，委婉。例如：
①Thank you for your letter of 10th November，enquiring for Forever Brand Bicycles.
②Thank you for your letter of 15th September, concerning the delayed delivery of the goods under the above Sales Confirmation.
③Thank you for your order for 50 reams of glass paper, but much to our regret, we can not agree to your payment by D/A.
在向对方提出要求或期望的同时也要使用礼貌得体的用语。例如：
①We should be much obliged if you would inform us，in confidence，of their financial standing and modes of business.
②It is highly appreciated if you would effect shipment immediately.
(2)You attitude即多从对方角度考虑问题
从本质上讲，外贸函电的目的在于通过字面意思与言外之意的有机结合，说服收信人按照自己的意图采取某个举措，或接受某个想法。写信人无论为了何种目的都要考虑语言策略。顺利沟通的一个重要原则就是换位思考。在函电交流中，应多将自己置于对方的角度，设身处地为对方着想，尽量满足对方的要求、需要和愿望，即多用You attitude，少用We attitude，使句子语气显得平和、友好，从而表现出对对方的尊重和礼让。例如：
①If you take the quality into consideration，you will see that our price is reasonable .
这比说We think that our products are superior in quality and reasonable in price.要好得多。又如：
②If you are likely to require any of them during the next three months，we advise your placing the order now as prices are rapidly rising.
(3)多用专业术语和书面语
外贸函电涉及的是贸易活动，适用于贸易领域。因此，除了一般词汇以外，还多用具有专业色彩的词汇，如： certificate of origin(产地证), proforma invoice(形式发票), bona fide holder(善意持有人), performance bond(履约保证金), clean collection(光票托收), irrevocable L/C payable by sight draft（不可撤消的即期信用证）等。同时为了体现函电的正式性，庄重性和严肃性，较多使用较复杂的介词短语如：in compliance with，in view of，with regard to, in connection with，as per，at request以及herein, therein, hereby等古词语, 既体现出其带有显著的法律正式语体特征，在表意时又可避免表达上不必要的重复。例如：
①Thank you for your Order No.905 for 50 metric tons of Emery Powder, but regret being unable to accept your terms of payment mentioned therein.
②We regret to have found that there are certain clauses which do not conform to those of the contract. Hereby we list the discrepancies for your attention.
(4)多使用专业缩略词
现代商务活动日趋高效快捷，随着贸易的不断发展, 大量《国际贸易通则》中通用的专业缩略词常出现在函电中, 为业内人士互通有无提供了方便。例如：
①价格术语
CIF（cost，insurance and freight成本、保险和运费价）
CFR（cost and freight成本和运费价）
FOB（free on board船上交货价）
CPT（carriage paid to运费付至 ）
DEQ（delivered ex quay码头交货）
②保险
FPA （free from particular average水渍险）
WPA （with particular average平安险）
AR （all risks一切险）
WR（war risk战争险）
③运输
B/L（bill of lading提单）
FCL（full container load整箱货）
LCL（less container load拼箱货）
④支付
D/P（documents against payment付款交单）
L/C （letter of credit信用证）
T/T （telegraphic transfer电汇）
M/T （mail transfer信汇）
D/D （demand draft票汇）
可以看出，函电中的专业缩略词不仅有助于增强语言的专业性和简洁性，而且以简短的形式，表达出丰富的信息，提高了工作效率，缩短了撰写时间。
2.句法特征
(1)多用陈述句
在外贸函电中,由于对大量事项及业务需要解释清楚, 故多使用陈述句。由于篇章本身不需表达任何感彩，基本上不采用感叹句。例如：
Dear Sirs：
Your firm has been recommended to us by John Morris＆Co., with whom we have done business for many years.
We specialize in the export of Chinese Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, which have enjoyed great popularity in world market. We enclose a copy of our catalogue for your reference and hope that you would contact us if any item is interesting to you.
We hope that you will give us an early reply.
Sincerely yours,
(2)简单句和复合句并用
外贸函电对文字表达既要求简洁, 又要能完整地表达外贸业务进行的各种条件、方式方法和结果，使业务不出现任何疏漏之处，避免争端。因此，较短的简单句和稍长的复合句常交替出现。例如：
Through years of business dealing，our company has formed the following two packing practices for shirts exported to European countries. First, pack them in bales lined with polythene, each containing 50 pieces in one pattern. Second, pack them in plastic-lined, water-proof cartons, reinforced with metal straps. In view to expanding our business at your end, we are writing to you in the hope that we can set up a sole agency in your country, which is expected to enlarge the sales of our products.
(3)适时采用被动结构
在函电中, 交易双方为了表明各自的立场和观点,常使用主动结构的句式。在表达否定意义时，若采用主动结构，语气就会显得尖锐，对营造融洽的合作关系极为不利。此时，函电中应强调业务的履行情况，突出动作的对象，淡化动作的执行者。采用被动结构的句式，会使陈述显得客观、委婉。例如：
①The articles have just been received after a delay of a fortnight，for which no explanation has yet been given to us.
②The quality of your shipment for our Order No.423 has been found not in conformity with the agreed specification. A claim will be lodged against you for the amount of US$15,000.00. The CCIB survey report is forwarded herewith and your early settlement is requested.
3.篇章结构特征
(1)连贯
由于交流的双方在时间和空间上的差距，几乎每一篇信函的引言都要提及信函的指向。如在建立业务关系的信函中，通常先会告知对方是如何获悉对方名址的。在写给已有业务关系的对方函电中，写信的一方要提及对方某一天的来信，或双方已发生的某一笔交易。这体现了它连贯的语篇特征。例如：
①Having had your name and address from the Commercial Counselor’s Office of our Embassy in Pakistan, we avail ourselves of this opportunity to write to you and see if we can establish business relations with you.
②Thank you for your letter of September 18, 2007 giving us references , but regret to say that these are not what we require.
③We are glad to have received your letter of 10th November in connection with your enquiry for Butterfly Bicycles.
(2)情景呼应
除了使用语篇常用的语法和词汇的衔接手段外，情景照应和编号替代手段频繁使用。例如：
Thank you very much for your Order No.532 for model Z-33 drilling machines received on November 19, 2007.
该句your Order No.532 for model Z-33 drilling machines使用了情景照应手段，即函电中语义的照应通常是在双方已经熟知的交易环境中实现。从此句可以推断出对方已订购了订单号为532的钻床，这在语义上形成照应，减少了传递信息中所产生的歧义，增强了语言的清晰度及表现力。
(3)层次鲜明
外贸函电往往强调一事一函, 便于对方答复, 以免发生混乱, 耽搁业务的开展。若其核心部分涉及不同事项，通常按主次顺序分几个段落进行说明。函电正文一般包括四部分：引言、详情、应答和结束语。传递信息时，往往将信息置于句首，然后做出解释，表明态度，最后用客气礼貌的语言表示希望或谢意，给人顺理成章，层次分明的感觉。例如：
Dear Sirs：
Re：S/C No.90-45897
We regret to inform you that we did not received your L/C covering the above Sales Confirmation till today. It is clearly stipulated in the said confirmation that the relevant L/C should reach us by the end of August. Although the time limit for the arrival of your credit has been exceeded, we are still prepared to ship your order in view of the long-term friendly relations between us.
However, owning to the late arrival of the L/C, we are unable to make shipment according to the date specified in the S/C. You are therefore requested to extend the validity of the L/C to the 26th November, 2006.
Please note that we require the amendment to L/C by the 30th September as otherwise we shall be unable to effect shipment at the time mentioned above.
We anticipate the early arrival of your amendment advice.
Sincerely yours,
三、结语
综上, 外贸函电在词汇、句子和篇章三个层次上体现出鲜明的文体特征。撰写外贸函电不仅要熟悉业务知识,了解业务流程, 还要有扎实的语言基础并掌握函电的文体特征，只有这样才能发挥函电的书面交际功能，提高写作水平。这对于维护企业形象，密切双方的合作关系具有重要意义。
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