Abbreviations

In written business communication one will find standard abbreviations reproduced as part of a generally shared conventional code. Knowledge of the most recurrent cases prevents one from misinterpretation and serves the purposes of effective business exchange and unhampered information retrieval. In practical terms, the learner is expected to become proficient in interpreting adequately and reproducing appropriately the more frequently used abbreviations, for example:

Co company

Ltd a limited company

plc a public limited company

Inc. Incorporated(a business corporation)

Corp. Corporation

attn attention of

ayc at your convenience

fyi for your information

P.S. postscript

To conclude: Business documents follows a number of conventions; the most formal specimens of written business communication display a recurrent set of features to be reproduced in accordance with the subject matter, addressee and style; the underlying conventions are part of the shared code increasingly followed by business people and business organizations across cultures. A student is expected to get a firm control over the standard format; he should be guided towards recurrent patterns of linguistic usage to be acquired step by step; later, depending on one’s employment in a certain professional area and function, the accumulated knowledge and experience can be adjusted to the requirements and preferences of the house style. The house –style is a way of formatting business documents and business correspondence adopted by a company and adhered to by its employees.

Exercise 14. Memorize the following abbreviations, be ready to write a dictation:

ono	or nearest offer
asap	as soon as possible
tha	to be arranged
pa	per annum
pcm	per calendar month
pp	(put before your name if someone else signs a letter for you)
pt	part-time
pw	per week
c/o	care of
vgc	very good condition
wef	with effect from
cc	copies to
Enc.(or Encl.)	enclosure line (enclosures)
aae	according to age and experience
ie	that is
eg	for example
nb	note (well) that
viz	namely
cf	compare
etc	et cetera (and so on)

Exercise 15. Give the definition of the house style.

Exercise 16. Translate the following key metaphors of business language:

Time is Money.

Business is a War.

A company is a Ship.

The office is a Battlefield.

A project is a Race.

Economics is a Flying.

Organizations are Gardens.

Are there any Russian equivalents?

Exercise 17. Match the idioms (a-e) with their definitions (f-g):

1.a) to stack the deck(of cards)

b) to lay all the cards on the table

c) to close a deal

d) to have a poker face

e) to have a card up one’s sleeve

2.f) to trick, to arrange things unfairly

g) to hide smth.valuable

h) to say smth. frankly

i) to not show any reaction

j) o end a negotiations successfully.

Exercise 18. Be ready to write a dictation with the terms to be memorized from the Unit 5.