摘要

随着经济全球化步伐的加快，作为我国对外贸易活动的基本交流途径——商务英语信函的作用日益增强。商务英语信函是一种特殊的应用文体，有着自己的语言特点，而作为其基本组成部分的句子，也有自己的特点。本文通过文献和例子分析，总结出商务英语信函的句子具有广泛使用礼貌语、固定句式、长句和被动句的特点，提出了直译法、套译法、合译法和转换法，旨在提高商务信函的英译质量，使商务信函更准确、更规范。

关键词：商务英语信函； 句子特点； 英译

Abstract

With the rapid development of economic globalization, the English business correspondence, as the essential communication approach in the foreign trade, plays an increasingly important role. It belongs to the special practical writing, which has its own features. So do its sentences. After the analysis and illustration of literatures, the paper not only comes to the conclusion that courtesy, fixed patterns, long sentences and passive structures are extensively used in the business English correspondence, but also puts forward four English translation methods--literal translation, corresponding translation, combination and conversion, aiming at improving the quality of English translation of business letters up to a more accurate and standardized level.
Key Words:  Business English correspondences; sentence characteristics; English translation

1.    Introduction
With China’s entrance to the WTO and the acceleration of economic integration process of the world, our foreign exchanges and cooperation are increasing dramatically in economy and culture. As the major language used in the international trade, business English plays a very important role in our foreign economic activities. The business English correspondence, one of the basic ways of communication, has become an essential medium in developing business, and establishing long, friendly and cooperative relations between enterprises and countries.
The business English correspondence is constantly changing with the rapid development and globalization of the information technology. Due to the wide use of faxes, emails and other media, business English letters become quick and convenient, without the restriction of time and place. Therefore, on the one hand, Chinese enterprises have more chances to establish contact with foreign trade companies all over the world and build business relations with them. On the other hand, the company can contact his partners at any time to solve problems timely so that they can keep good business relations between them. In brief, the business English correspondence is the bridge between the two parties in the foreign trade. Without it, the international trade will not work smoothly.