sn’t it funny how we don’t say This aspect of English is

I
B U S I N E S S E N G L I S H
what we mean? Take the question, particularly relevant to adult learners,
Is that your jacket on the floor? especially in business, and lends an
Why do I say that when I know interesting slant to ‘grammar’ lessons.
perfectly well that it’s my son’s jacket? Social distance and relative power both
How can we talk seeming ‘nonsense’ affect the words we choose, along with
like this and still manage to get things the degree to which what we’re saying is
done? In fact we often need to say an imposition in the culture. I have a
things like this in order to get things hunch that when our business English
done. Studies in pragmatics and clients ask us for ‘social English’, it’s
sociolinguistics have shed some often work in this area that they are
interesting light in this area. actually asking for (which, in itself, is

Effective
communication
Do we say what we mean or If I say, Those biscuits look nice, I
probably mean I want one, but I’m too
an example of what I’m talking about).
They want to know what people really
mean what we say? Neither, polite to ask for one. Politeness is mean by what they say.
essential for good relationships, and so
says Vicki Hollett. is the concept of ‘face’. Goffman
pointed out that face works in two ways: The force of language
we want the approval of others (positive It can cause havoc when people mistake
face), and we want to be able to do what the force of a linguistic form. A
we want without other people impeding colleague asked a business student to
us (negative face). Criticism, complaint prepare some graphs for homework. The
and disapproval all threaten a hearer’s next week, the student announced, I’m
positive face, while requests, offers and not prepared to show you my graphs. She
compliments threaten their negative was somewhat offended and wondered if
face. The simple act of inviting a she’d unwittingly asked for confidential
colleague for a game of golf in some way information, until she realised that he
puts pressure on them. If they refuse, meant he hadn’t had time to prepare.
they could offend; if they accept, they When a linguistic form doesn’t match
could incur a debt. Seen in these terms, the speaker’s intention, confusion
virtually all human communication is ensues. We have to teach the pragmatic
potentially threatening to face. force along with the words.

EXERCISE
Part One Part Two
Sometimes people don’t say exactly Match these possible replies to the
what they mean. Imagine you hear comments in Part One. Notice that we
people saying the following. What do respond to what we thought the
you think they really mean? speaker meant, so in the example we
They say: Goodness, is that the time? might respond:
They are probably thinking: I must be Yes, would you like another drink
leaving now before you go?

1. You said you’d be here by eight. a I’ll speak up.

2. Sorry, there’s a lot of noise at this end. b I got held up.
3. Is anybody else here cold? c I didn’t take it. I don’t drink coffee.
4. Are you busy? d Sorry, I thought you’d already met.
5. Is that Mr Parker over there? I’ll introduce you.
6. I thought I put a cup of coffee down e Will it take long?
here. f The boiler’s not working.

18 • ENGLISH TEACHING professional •

Indirect language Many learners, especially in Perhaps we need to negotiate with our
business, do not need English to students to find forms that are
The art of ‘hinting’ is another area we communicate with native speakers, so acceptable to all. After all, in
should practise. We can minimise threats the problem gets even trickier. If a communication between non-native
to face by being ambiguous. So I might German is doing business with a speakers (NNSs) of English, it makes
ask, Do you have your mobile phone with Japanese, whose rules apply? Take this no sense to operate according to the
you? and hope you’ll offer to let me little conversation for example: social rules of America, Britain,
make a call. If you say, Yes, but the Canada, Australia, etc. We’re looking
battery’s very low, I can pretend I wasn’t Customer: We’re sending the goods for an international standard here,
asking. No damage done. Again, good back and we want a refund. rules that can be safely followed to
communication involves recognising Supplier: OK, but you must pay a communicate and do business in any
intentions and our students need to be 20% handling fee. country on the globe. Do they exist?
able to drop and recognise hints. Customer: Nobody told us that!
We might consider giving learners Supplier: Read Clause 5 of the
more exercises like the one on the contract. International Business
previous page. Customer: 20%! That’s not fair! English
Supplier: Tough luck! Christine Johnson and Catherine
Cultural variations Bartlett have been doing some
This is a pretty unlikely exchange in a interesting research into the talk of
Recognising intentions can be British context. We might usefully set
particularly tricky when we’re business NNSs and drawing
our students the task of transforming it comparisons with creoles and pidgins.
communicating across cultures. to something more face-saving, like
Societies frequently have different ways They suggest that there may be a new
this, for example: variant of English employed by NNSs
to do business which differs
Customer: We’d like to send the goods
If a German is back. Could you arrange for
substantially from standard English.
International Business English (IBE)
a refund?
doing business with Supplier: Certainly, but I’m afraid
has a simplified grammar and lexicon
which can be equally well understood
there’ll be a 20% handling
a Japanese, whose fee.
by speakers from different mother
tongue backgrounds while, curiously, it
Customer: Really? We weren’t informed
rules apply? of that.
is the British native speakers who may
have difficulties following.
Supplier: It’s mentioned in Clause 5 of So what social rules does IBE
of going about their business, related to the contract. operate by? Perhaps it is much more
different beliefs about ‘rights’ and Customer: 20% seems rather literal than other standard varieties and
‘mentionables’. It may be taken for unreasonable. people really say what they really mean.
granted in one culture that a visitor Supplier: I’m sorry, but it’s our After all, it’s essentially transactional.
could use a host’s phone to make a standard policy. The ultimate purpose of the
quick call, while in another it could be communication is to get something
seen as an imposition. In one culture it How far do we need to go in this done and people are much more likely
may be acceptable to ask someone how direction, though? I’ve often wanted my to be able to do that if they make their
much they earn, while in another it’s students to respond to complaints with intentions clear. On the other hand,
absolutely taboo. an immediate ‘Sorry’, but some have relationships are very important in
This raises interesting questions objected, quite sensibly pointing out business: relationships with clients, with
when we consider which variety of that they don’t want to apologise until suppliers, with colleagues, with those
English we should be teaching. There they’ve established whether they’ve higher and lower in the hierarchy and
may be cultural differences, too. been at fault. In my culture, ‘sorry’ can so on. Relationships demand politeness
Climbing into a New York taxi, I be purely an expression of sympathy, so and consideration for face. I think we’ll
asked, Could you possibly take us to I might say ‘I’m sorry’ to a grieving find that, in international business,
Greenwich Village? My American friend relative at a funeral without suggesting people will continue to not say what
pointed out the absurdity of this, that I was in any way responsible for they mean. Business as usual, you
saying, But of course he could, Vicki.
Otherwise we wouldn’t be getting into the
polishing off the deceased. But it seems
this is not a universal notion and, even
p
might say. E T
cab. On the other hand I was surprised in English, I suppose, it could lead to Vicki Hollett is a
to hear my friend greeting unknown freelance English
misunderstanding. In an extreme teacher, teacher trainer
cab drivers with How are you doing? example, this might be serious in the and writer. Based in the
Why did he want to know? context of international business. UK, she specialises in
Business English and is
the author of such
courses as Business
Possible answers: Objectives and Business
Part One 1. You’re late. I’ve been kept waiting. 2. I can’t hear you. 3. I’m cold. 4. Can I talk to you Opportunities, as well as
about something? 5. I’d like to meet Mr Parker. 6. Did someone (you) take my cup of coffee? the video course Meeting
Objectives for OUP.
Part Two 1-b 2-a 3-f 4-e 5-d 6-c

• ENGLISH TEACHING professional • 19