Course Paper of International Correspondence

for Bachelors 2023 Spring

Analysis on the application of International Correspondence

in the International Trade

学号 (Student ID No.) 209106029

姓名 (Name) Shierly Anggraeni

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Abstract— International trade plays an important role in the current era of globalization.
In practicing international trade, it is necessary to master business correspondence.
Business correspondence is carried out in English because business transactions occur
between countries that have different languages; therefore, it is necessary to use English as
an international language when communicating. Business English correspondence in the
form of e-mails plays an important role in international trade between exporters and
importers. Mastering the style, format, and important parts of an email is not an easy task,
especially if it is written in English, which is a challenge for exporters and importers. The
data collection technique in this study uses library research, meaning that it uses secondary
data obtained from various scientific articles in the form of news articles, journals, and
related research reports to be further processed. This paper analyzes business English
correspondence in international trade, especially among importers of exporters via e-mail.

Keywords- business English correspondence; international trade; export-import; e-mail

I. INTRODUCTION

In the current era of globalization, communication has become increasingly vital. The
development of science and technology, as well as the demands of an increasingly advanced and
modern era, have created opportunities for international communication. English is an
international language that is used to communicate in various aspects of life. In the business
world, English acts as the international language of the business community to ensure uniformity
in communication and support successful collaboration.

In general, international trade is exchanging goods and services. In the last 50 years,
international trade has grown and expanded drastically on a massive scale. This is because of the
existence of cooperation carried out by various countries to eliminate trade protection and the
desire to promote free trade in goods and services. In international trade, business
correspondence is communication in trade between two parties, especially exporters and
importers, which requires an exchange of views, ideas, or information. If done properly and in
accordance with existing language rules, business correspondence can encourage the success of
business transactions within a company. On the other hand, business correspondence that
contains many errors, both at the level of language and information, can trigger various losses for
a company. A well-planned transaction can be canceled simply because a letter is written
incorrectly, which offends one of the parties to the transaction or causes various
misunderstandings. Using a language well can show the credibility of its users; therefore, when
someone makes a mistake in a language, it can damage their credibility, and etc. A person's
credibility will look good if the language they use is correct and in accordance with the
applicable rules.

E-mail is the newest and most widely used formal written communication method in the
 business world. E-mail is created for various purposes, including communication between
exporters and importers in order to provide detailed information about products and services
quickly and with an open attitude. Writing e-mails in English is certainly a challenge for
exporters and importers. This is because mastering the style, format, and important parts of e-
mail is not an easy job, coupled with writing that must be done in English, which also requires
certain knowledge and skills in order to run a correspondence business in English correctly and
precisely.
II. BUSINESS ENGLISH CORRESPONDENCES AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE
To strengthen relations between a country and other countries, each country tries to establish
cooperation with other countries. In daily international trade, English plays an important role in
supporting international trade. Through business English correspondence, exporters and
importers can communicate easily, starting with product introductions, offers, and requests to
make trade contracts based on agreements reached between the two parties. It is very rare to find
importers and exporters communicating directly because of the high costs incurred and the
amount of time required to communicate face-to-face. Many communication methods of
business correspondence are commonly used as substitutes for face-to-face meetings, such as
letters, fax, telex, and e-mail. In international trade, there are many different categories based on
their functionality. In the form of different regions and countries, the daily life of commodity
exchange, labor export, and technology exchange, commonly known as international trade.

In international trade, unique processing language styles and communication skills occupy an
important position and provide strong professional guidance. Business English correspondence
on export-import begins with an introduction letter sent by an exporter to importers abroad. If the
importer is interested in what is being offered, they will also send an order in writing. A reply
letter, often called an inquiry letter, can contain a request for clarification of further information,
or it can also be a request to send sample items, brochures, price lists, etc. Correspondence
between the two parties will continue by offering letters and ordering letters until certain
agreements that lead to a transaction are reached. If both parties feel the need to bind themselves
in the form of a written document that clearly states the rights and obligations of each party, an
export-import trade contract is drawn up. In conducting business correspondence in the field of
international trade, it is necessary to pay attention to the appropriate writing and use of incoterms
(international commercial terms). This is because mistakes in writing incoterms cause losses for
exporters or importers. In addition, it is necessary to write the names of the goods, specifications,
packing, quantity, price, and shipment period.
III. BUSINESS ENGLISH CORRESPONDENCE SKILLS IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE
PRACTICE
Business English correspondence is very different from causal correspondence. Writing
correspondence in international trade, of course, requires polite language, a concise and clear
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writing style, as well as clear and precise contents and directions for transactions to complete the
contents of the letter as a whole.
Polite and considerate context
Business English correspondence provides an important function in communication between
export and import parties in foreign trade practices. In the process of writing, polite expressions
and considerate greetings can reflect the good qualities of the practitioner on the one hand and,
on the other, make the other party feel respected, thus forming a kind of greeting. Equality is
necessary to build successful cooperative relationships in international trade.
The use of professional trade terms
In international trade activities, trade provisions for exports and imports have their own special
and professional provisions. In the process of writing and translating business English
correspondence, practitioners must pay special attention to word characteristics. In addition,
many English abbreviations have specific meanings, such as FOB, MR, and MC, which are also
commonly used in writing and translating foreign trade correspondence.
Extension and Conversion of Common Vocabulary
In writing and translating business English correspondence, both exporters and importers need to
focus on expanding and converting common vocabulary, mastering the unique connotations of
vocabulary expansion and conversion in correspondence, and translating and writing in
combination with context-specific and professional terms.
Clear, Concise, Precise
In general, the text of business correspondence should be simple and clear, in as refined a space
as possible, so that partners can obtain accurate and effective information. Therefore, in the
international trade practice of writing and translating business English correspondences, both
exporters and importers need to pay attention to and master the use of simple sentences, clear
sentences, and precise sentences. Attention must be paid to overcoming the characteristics of
traditional letters, such as long, drawn-out, and stereotyped writing; paying attention to
professionalism in writing formats; using accurate words; being specific in content; and avoiding
or minimizing use. unclear, ambiguous, or easily ambiguous wording to ensure that both sides of
international trade understand each other’s intentions accurately.
Simple and easy
Business correspondence not only conveys trade information but also plays a unique role in
promoting good recognition and trust between exporters and importers, the development of
effective international trade activities, and the smooth realization of cooperation intentions
between the two parties. Therefore, to write and translate business English correspondences, it is
necessary to use clear language and clear writing, not only to ensure the accuracy of the
language, but also to pay attention to keeping up with the times and simplifying the format so
that it is efficient and easy to understand. In international trade practices, we should gradually
abandon single and obsolete letter formats and use more concise, clear, convenient, and efficient
letter formats to save time and cost and improve the transmission rate of trade information.

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IV. CONSTRAINTS OF BUSINESS ENGLISH CORRESPONDENCE IN E-MAIL WRITING

In conducting business English correspondence in the form of e-mail, there are several obstacles
experienced by exporters and importers. E-mail interpretation errors that often occur are caused
by a lack of mastery of English. Low proficiency in English, such as grammatical errors and
word choice in writing e-mails, can certainly become an obstacle in writing an e-mail in English,
which can slow down the process of international trade. In addition, a lack of knowledge about
the components and styles of email communication is often found. The use of unofficial e-mail
and many of the characteristics of writing e-mail are similar to writing in a conversation through
a chat application, namely the number of abbreviations that are used as a short message. This
shows a lack of knowledge regarding the components and styles of composing an official email,
which creates difficulties in conveying information.
V. HOW TO WRITE CLEAR AND PROFESSIONAL E-MAIL IN BUSINESS ENGLISH
CORRESPONDENCE
One form of business English correspondence used in international trade activities on exports
and imports is e-mails. E-mail is one of the most widely used methods of written
communication. A well-crafted, professional email provides recipients with a friendly, clear,
concise, and actionable message.
Standart Format
In standart format of e-mail, need to begin with to, from, and subject, salutation, a compliment or
pleasantary that means to say something good, a reason for e-mail, a call to action, a closing,
message and signature (name, title, company name).
Subject, Salutation, Body, Closing, Signature
As to the subject, it needs to be a to-the-point summary and concise.
Then salutation, it’s the first line of e-mail and generally acts as the greeting. The greeting can
change depending on your relationship with the recipient.
 If you’re writing to someone you’ve never met or a person you have a formal professional
relationship with, such as a hiring manager or a new client, can stat with “Dear Sir or
Madam.”
 If you know his or her name may write with Dear Ms. Mary Lin, Dear Mary Lin, or Good
morning/afternoon, Ms. Lin
 If you have contacted him or her for a while, you can simply say, Dear Mary, which is very
common in international trade.
For the next is body. In the body of the email, it shows a reason for the email, a call to action, a
closing, a message, and a signature (name, title, and company name).
Example of Closing Messages:
 Best/Warm/Kind Regards

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 Regards
 Waiting for your reply
 Thanks in advance
 Sincerely yours, Sincerely, Yours faithfully
The last is signature. A signature is where you identify yourself by name, title, and any other
information relevant to communication. Most email programs allow senders to set a fixed
signature that is automatically added at the end of every e-mail.
Dos and dont’s
In e-mail need do one thing rule:
 Dos: Respond promptly, always say thanks, and proofread.
 Dont’s: Don’t assume privacy, don’t write overly long e-mails, don’t use emoticons, chat
abbreviations, colorful fonts, and backgrounds. (e.g. LOL).
VI. CONCLUSION
English is necessary for international trade and business purposes and plays an important role as
one of the languages used for communicationThe proper style of business correspondence in the
form of e-mails in English needs to be carried out by exporters and importers. To minimize the
obstacles to carrying out English business correspondence via e-mail, intensive business
correspondence training should be performed so that the structure, grammar, writing style, and
patterns of business correspondence are commonly used in international trade. Therefore, the
role of business English correspondence in international trade cannot be ignored, while further
research with a wider area of coverage needs to be carried out in order to obtain a more diverse
variety of data so that the results can be better confirmed
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