“BUSINESS ENGLISH”

Grey River Argus, 13 August 1937, Page 2

“BUSINESS ENGLISH”

JARGON OF COMMERCE Despite the ridicule of many critics, numerous 'offices in British countries (including New Zealand, of course) continue to “beg to acknowledge receipt” and to repeat other absurd phrase of “business English.” This matter drew some interesting comment recently in “The Certified Accountants’ Journal” (London). “The curious jargon to which the doubtful term ‘business English’ has been applied is happily less common now in commercial correspondence than it was a decade or so ago,” the writer states. “Such verbal atrocities as: ‘Your esteemed favour of even date to hand and same shall receive our best attention,’ are now comparatively rare (though by no means extinct). But conventional phrases and expressions which do violence to the English language are still sufficiently common in commercial usage to call forth, from time to time, the condemnation of educationists and others to whom such maltreatment of our language is offensive. “The principal of the City of Birmingham Commercial College, at a recent prize distribution, made some pertinent observations on this subject- ‘lf,’ he said, ‘it is impossible to induce some business men to write good English because they know it or like it, or because it is grammatical, perhaps they may do so when they learn that it is cheaper,’ He pointed out, quoting Mr. A. P. Herbert, that common business phrases contain an unnecessarily large number of words and that (taking a representative selection of such phrases) the employment of standard English would effect a saving of 36 per cent. ‘lt is an obvious conclusion,’ he went to say, ‘that, if a firm insists on the use of standard English, it may be able to dispense with one typist in three —not to speak of the saving of time in dictation and the wear and tear of typewriters, pencils, etc.’ “Perhaps this is pressing the argument a little too far, but in any case ‘business English’ deserves condemnation on other grounds than those of economy. To quote from the report of a Departmental Committee appointed by the Board of Education some years ago to inquire into the teaching of English in England: “ ‘Commercial English’ is not only objectionable to all those who have the purity of the language at heart, but also contrary to the true interests of commercial life, sapping its vitality and encouraging the use of dry, meaningless formulae just where vigorous and arresting English is the chief requisite.” “Closely related to ‘business English,’ and almost as objectionable, is the language of official correspondence. ‘I have the honour to acquaint you,’ and ‘I am your obedient servant,’ writes the high Government official to the humblest of us. Officers of State are, it is true, theoretically servants of the public; but let any member of the public demand obedience from them and they may have the honour to acquaint him that ‘your obedient servant’ is not to be taken too literally!”