第二章涉外商务信函的翻译第一节 商务信函简介一 商务信函的12种要素 信头（letterhead） 案号 (reference) 日期 (date) 封内地址 (inside address 注意项 (attention line) 称呼 (salutation)Next 事由栏 (subject) 信的正文 (body of letter) 信尾敬语 (complimentary close) 签名 (signature) 缩写名、附件及分送标志部分（IEC: initials, enclosures and carbon copies block） 附言 (postscript)商务信函实例1Kee b) Please let us know as soon as possible what you wish us to do about this matter. 以上两句中的“”修饰的内容不同： a) 你们要求我们尽快做些什么。b) 请尽快告诉我们。 a) 可译成“请告诉我们你们要我们为此 尽快做些什么”； b) 可译为“请尽快告知，你们要我们为 此事做些什么”。 （三）注意代名词,关系代词和先行词的关 系按照英语习惯,句子中的代名词和关系 代词一般是指离得最近的名词，因此要 特别注意，以免引起误解或不清楚.例： 不好 ：They informed Messrs. John As you are a certified public accountant, I am sure you can help us.（五）仔细和恰当地分段落 商业书信要写得使人一读就明白，因此 必须按照内容仔细和恰当的分段落，一 般的分段落原则是一个段落一个意思（ A paragraph for each point is a good general rule.）现举例说明： Dear Sirs, It is reported in a domestic newspaper that the Iranian Central Bank has instructed the commercial banks to suspend their business of opening a new letter of credit as from the 3rd May for financial reason of foreign currency. Although it is said that this arrangement would be a temporary one and with establishment of new import policy this emergency arrangement would be lifted, we are much concerned about the outcome of this movement toward restriction of import to Iran and shall be obliged if you will kindly keep us well advised of development of this new arrangement especially in connection with import from France.Yours faithfully, 以上这封信只有一段，供两句。第一句 39字，第二句66句。 读后虽 然能基 本了解其内容， 但读起来很舒服。信的 内容大体有三点： 伊朗中央银行因外汇原因，通知 个商业银行从五月三日起停止 开立信 用证； 这临时措施，新的进口政策一 订，这个措施可能取消；. 希望对方随时告之有关情况。按照这三点，适当地分段，把信重新改写，读起来比原来的清楚易 懂：Dear Sirs, It is reported in a vernacular newspaper that the Iranian Central Bank has instructed the commercial banks to suspend their issuing new Letters of Credit as from the 3rd May because of its decreasing foreign currency funds. Furthermore it is said that the suspension seems a temporary one and willbe released with establishment if a new import policy. We are much concerned, however, about the outcome of this movement toward restriction of import to Iran.We, therefore, shall be obliged if you will keep us well informed of development of this new state of affairs, especially in connection with imports from France. Yours faithfully, 26 体谅 (consideration) 27 礼貌 (courtesy) COURTESY译成“礼貌”。但是根据西方国家函电书籍作 者普遍的看法，所谓COURTESY是“客气而又体谅人”的 意思。这样的形式很多，现在提供一些常见的供参考： （一） 把命令变成请求的常用形式： Please, Will you., Will you please.,如： a) Will you give us more detailed information on your requirement? b) Will you please (kindly) let us hear from you on these two points? （二） 虚拟式（Past Subjunctive From）如：a) Would you compare our sample with the goods of other firms?b) We would ask you to ship the goods by the first available vessel. c) We wish you would let us have your reply soon.d) This would seem to confirm our opinion.e) We should be grateful if you would help us with your suggestion. f) We might be of some service to you in a similar case. 以上的b, 也可用 will, shall, may, 但是用Past Subjunctive Form则表示更客气婉转些。 27 礼貌 (courtesy)（三） 缓和用法（Mitigation） 为了缓和过分强调或刺激对方，常用: We are afraid, we would say, we may(or, might) say, we(would) think, it seems(or would seem) to us, we(would) suggest, as you are (or: may be) aware, as we need hardly point out等等表达法来 缓和语气，如： a) It was unwise of you to have done that. We would say that it was unwise of you to have done that. b) You ought to have done it. It seems to us that you ought to have done it. c) We cannot comply with your request. We are afraid we cannot comply with your request. d) Our products are the very best on the market. We might say that our products are the very best on the market.符合7C原则的信函实例 Dear Sirs, Our client in Mumbai requests us to obtain from you a pro forma invoice for color TV sets with the following specifications: “Haier” brand color TV sets 25-inch and 34-inch(each 500sets).Would you please airmail us the soonest possible your pro forma invoice for 1,000 color TV sets with prices CIF Mumbai, so that we obtain our clients confirmation. There is no question about our getting the necessary import license from our authorities.As soon as the said license is approved, we shall establish an L/C in your favour.Thank you for your close cooperation in this respect. Yours Sincerely,John Smith敬启者：我们的一个孟买客户要求我们从贵方取 得下列规格的彩色电视机形式发票：“海尔 ” 彩色电视机25英寸和34英寸各500台。请尽快航邮注有孟买到岸价格的1，000 台彩色电视机的形式发票，以便我们取得客 户认可。从当局取得必要的进口许可证当无 问题。一俟获得许可证即开以贵方为受益人的 信用证。感谢贵方的密切合作。你真诚的， 约翰史密斯第二节 商务信函的文体特点及其翻译1 商务信函的文体特点11 词汇使用特点111 用词规范正式112 表意准确、专业性强113 用语朴素、淡于修饰12 语法使用特点121 句子类型122 句式结构（1）复合句与简单句结合，以复合句为主（2）常用并列结构（3