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DearSirs,

Referring to our orderNo. 815 for 800 balesofwoo,l we shall be glad to know when we canexpect delivery of the goods, which are urgentlyrequired. Needless to say, we have been put togreat inconvenience. It is therefore imperative thatyou lose no time in informing us of the earliestpossible shipmen.t Should you fall in dischargingyour obligationswe should be compelled to cancelthe order.

Please look into thematter as one of urgencyand let us have your cable reply by the earliestopportunity.

Yours faithfully,

比较上述单句,对话和商务函件,不难发现,为了同样的言外行为,为了得到理想的言后行为,在不同的场合和对不同的问题,商务英语呈现了不同的特点:在单句中,言内行为所采用的形式和句式都比较直接,稍微委婉和正式的句子也都直接提出了抱怨的内容,非正式场合下的抱怨则可以添加更多表示感情色彩的词句,如: I am fed up with…Really! I have just about had enough oftha.t That really is the limi.t

在商务对话中,说话人一般先提供背景知识,即交代事情的始末,解决一件问题后再提出另一个要求,对于每一个要求都说明理由,以便听话人能够在了解情况的前提下进行合作解决问题。所用词句和句式多为口语化的句式,多以第一人称为主,直接点明说话人的诉求,如:We’vereceived those and they are fine, butwe haven’tgot the invitation cards thatwere ordered. But it’sratherurgentnow. Itwas originally 350, but canyou make that 450? We may need more than wethough.t

在商务函件中,写信人更多地是先探讨事情,而不是先表达感情,所以开头时是Referring to..而不会是I/we…;被动语态的使用会更多,如which are urgently required; we have been put togreat inconvenience; we should be compelled tocancel the order.短短的五句话的信函,有三句话出现了被动语态。而且与口语不同的是,虚拟语气非常正式的用法出现在信函中: should you fall in…另一个不同点是,在口语中,说话人通过不同的言内行为表达同样的言外行为,但通常不会明确提出言后行为;在商务函件中,言内行为的表现方式更加客观,更加非人称化,言外行为也非常鲜明;而且言后行为也被明确地表示了出来: Shouldyou fall in discharging your obligationswe shouldbe compelled to cancel the order.

通过语言学知识的渗透,运用言语行为理论来分析商务英语特色,可以帮助学生明确地分析说话人通过言内行为要表达的言外行为,以及其预期的言后行为,并且认识到在不同的场合下,不同的语言表达方式可以用来表达相似的言语行为,从而更加深入地理解商务英语的语言特点和交际功能,从而成为掌握商务知识和语言技能的商务英语专业的合格人才。