作为一名资深某美资公司的工程师,这些年写过的英文邮件没有一万封也有五千封了,看过的邮件没有十万也五万封了,看了一些回答特别是某位自称外企人的,我只想呵呵,和书上写的好像哦,你试试这样写看看,看看别人什么反应。我来说说实际美国人是怎么写邮件的。
我举的例子都是美国人写的邮件原文,比那些书上写的要清新脱俗得多。先来一封我们CEO最近发的邮件,全篇没有装逼词,但是就是显得很有水平。
Happy New Year—I hope you and your family had a great holiday and enjoyed some well-deserved time off. Thank you again for a terrific effort and a strong result last year!
再来一封老美写的开发客户的邮件,我以前兼职做过外贸,有一次打电话给美国客户,因为英语不好所以别人以为我是采购商,反而发一封邮件给我和我做生意o(╯□╰)o。这邮件也是写得清新自然,没有书上写的套话。有人说写得太长,我不是要你看内容,要你看表达。
Hello Steven,
It was my pleasure to talk with you earlier today – thank you for contacting XXXX.
I am writing to share more information with you about XXXX and our digital signage systems. The attached corporate brochure will provide you with an overview of our most popular system features – you can also learn more by visiting our website at XXXX.com. As you will see, XXX has been providing industry-leading digital signage systems for the past 25 years and we are honored to have our systems in place with over 2,500 hotels, resorts and casinos around the world.
We would be very interested in exploring a relationship with XXXX in order to explore digital signage opportunities in China. As I’ve mentioned, our primary customer focus is with hotels, resorts and casinos. Our digital display systems are designed to meet the needs of the hospitality market. We are fortunate to have earned preferred-vendor status with many of the leading hotel brands including: Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton, Westin, Marriott, Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Renaissance and many more. Please let me know if you have relationships with any hotels and we can develop a plan to pursue the opportunity together.
Please review our information at your earliest convenience and let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to our next communication.
Regards,
xxxx
一、基本邮件礼仪(Email etiquette)
英文邮件的礼仪成千上万条,大多其实都已经超出了“英文”的范畴,而是不管什么语言都要注意的,那我就不说了,我只说和印象最深刻的,而且和中文邮件有明显区别的,那就是感谢和道歉。
1)感谢
中文邮件不喜欢太多客套话,废话少说,直入正题,但是美国人写邮件,哪怕是和熟悉的人,回邮件第一句话,都要感谢,所以他们的邮件都是 thank来thank去的,中文邮件没这种习惯。开头,感谢别人回复自己的邮件(也可以用thank you,用在稍微正式场合,比如和陌生人发邮件)
· Thanks for the quickreply.
· Thanks for getting back to me.
· Thanks for the update on the situation.
· Thanksfor the updated information.
· Thanksfor gathering the information this week on this issue.
别人发邮件提供信息给你,中文邮件是懒得回的,英文邮件也习惯感谢,简单回复一个:
Thank you.
Well noted.
Noted/received with thanks.
Goodinformation.
2)道歉
如果是回邮件回得晚了,先道歉,貌似中文很少有这个习惯(以下sorry也可以替换成apologize,更正式一点,发给重要的人或者群发)
· Sorry for the late reply.(中国人普遍这这一种,也有老外用,不过下面两种更多)
· Sorry I haven’t got back to you sooner .
· Sorry for the delay getting back to you.
如果是临时通知别人是什么事情
Apologies for the late/short notice.
如果是上一封邮件没写清楚导致收件人误解了
I apologize if this was not made clear
提前给别人预警如果自己的措辞过于强硬。
· I apologize if this may make you feel uncomfortable/bad.
· I apologize if this may sound a little harsh.
3)收尾套路
最后收尾的套路,一般都是问别人意下如何。(不要用please tell me ...这种句式,从来没见过老外用的)
· Please let me know what you think.
· Please let me know your thoughts.
· Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. (最常见)
· Please let me know if there are questions.
· Lookingforward to your input/insight(用insight/input代替opinion)
· That’s myidea, what's your idea?(也有直接这样说的)
· Pleasereview the lengthy e-mail and provide feedback on how we can proceed.(如果邮件太长了)
· 或者,干脆下面的话结尾,I'lllet you know more tomorrow(表示今天没说完,明天再说更多)
· Please call me if you like.(有什么事打我电话)
4)称呼
普通工作邮件,直接称呼名字字就好了,比如Hi Steven,不需要用Mr. , 甚至写给总裁的邮件,也是直接说Hi Bill,不需要Hi President Johnson。否则真的真的太令人不自在了。只有德国人是个例外,喜欢加Mr./Ms. 我以前在德资企业工作,发给女性的邮件居然要称呼Ms. Zhang。学术场合才需要加抬头,比如Prof. Johnson. 政客的Congressman Johnson.记住,一般不加Dear,只有公司HR群发邮件才说Dear all, 发给个人的,一般就Hi Steven或者直接说Steven.抓住这几点就够了,其他礼仪说多了都是正确的废话。另外再看看我这篇文章,弄清楚什么时候该用正式用语,什么时候可以用非正式。
英语 | 到底什么是正式场合和非正式场合
5)告别邮件主题
离职前表示感谢的邮件。
我见过老外用以下两种
· Thank you
· Farewell
两种都可以。注意farewell并非永别,也可以表示以后很难见面。
二、邮件基本术语
很多国人凭自己的想象力在创造一些表达,以下才是地道的用语。
1)抄送别人怎么说?
中国人喜欢说cc,美国人直接说copy.cc是 carbon copy(复写纸)的简称,以前还没有电子邮件时候,用复写纸抄送,所以本质上还是copy.
I have put John on copy. (记住put on copy的固定搭配)
You can copy Steven going forward.
如果是分别抄送给某些人,但是又不想让他们互相知道对方的联系方式,可以用暗送(BCC也就是blind cc),比如同时发给几个供应商,邮件开头直接写
BCC vendors
2)群发邮件增加联系人怎么说?
我看到台湾香港人大陆人都是用add xxx in the loop.从来没见过美国人这样说的。一般都是在邮件开头,无称呼,直接说
Looping in Steven.
Adding/Added Steven.
甚至直接用 “+”都可以
+ Steven
把某个人删除(涉及到保密的信息),用remove
Removed Mike from this email
3)转发邮件怎么说?
· forward the email to someone(大部分中国只会用这种)
· pass me the email(老外也经常用这种)
4)回复邮件怎么说?
get back比 reply常用
I will get back to you tomorrow.
5)附件怎么说?
附件的英文是attachment.但是如果你说please find the attachment实在是恶俗至极。
一般直接用动词attached, enclosed. 我比较喜欢用attached.
· Attached/Enclosed please find the report.
· I attached the report and let me know what you think.
6)文件怎么说?
excel, pdf, word 如果你说file也是恶俗至极,正确的说法是document.(excel也可以说spreadsheet, ppt也可以说presentation)
Attached please find the document.
三、和陌生人发邮件如何自我介绍?
不要说 This is xxx和I am这种句式,开头也不要太多客套话,老外开头都是直接说My name is xxx
Hi Mike,My name is Steven Gates. I work in the R&D department and am in charge of ...
四、群发邮件如何称呼?
书上百分之一万告诉你用Dear all, Hi all这种,实际,只有群发给整个公司的邮件,比如公司新闻之类的才用这种称呼,其他时候用下面的,
Team, (最常用)
Gents, (如果全部是男的)
全部都是女的,我还真不知道怎么称呼,我也没在女人堆里待过。
五、邮件里怎么插话?
本来你只是在cc列表里作为旁观者,但是你也想进来插一句话怎么说?用chime in
Just to chime in, xxxxI'd like to chime in with my idea, xxxx
如果邀请别人发表意见怎么说,用 please chime in here with your thoughts/comments/idea.
Steven, please chime in here with correct information.
另外补充
1) 问别人一个问题时,前面加个wondering表示想知道,比直接问一个问题更加委婉。
Iwas wondering what your thoughts are changing this design.
I am wondering if you are using the same material.
2) 请求别人做一件事,用If you could xxx, that would be great. 更加礼貌3) 请别人帮忙做一件事时,在前面加(by) any chance,意思是如果有时间/有机会,很委婉。
By any chance, could you help check the data? 有时间可不可以帮忙看看数据?
六、起承转合常用词
我就不说However, Nevertheless, on one hand, on the other hand, firstly这种老师教的恶俗至极的老八股了。
1)lastly/finally
很少看到邮件用说firstly的,一般有话就直说, 但是lastly很常见,在说完前面一大堆之后,说最后一件事的时候,说lastly,finally表示最后你想说什么
· Lastly, could you confirm that there is no additional change? 最后一件事,你可不可以确认一下不会再改了?
· Finally, the most important thing is ...(不知道怎么翻译这个finally)
2)as/on a side note
原意是边注,引申为补充说明某件事情,特别是你想提醒别人做某件事,这样更加委婉,可以翻译成“友情提示”。
· Also, on a side note, can you xxxx?
· As a side note, I'm beginning to think our current measurement method doesn't seem to be accurate enough .
类似的还有 on a related point(相关说明)
3) specifically
特别说明一件事时,用这个词开头,另写一个自然段。
· Specifically , we are interested in xxxx.
· Specifically , we'd like to xxxx.
4) all said/ with all that said
中文意思就是“说了那么多”,用于总结。
All said, I think we are in a enviable position going into the 2017 sales season with xxxx. 说了那么多,我想我们处在一个令人羡慕的市场地位。
5) that being said
中文意思是“话虽如此',
That being said, we still need to ...(话虽如此,我们还是需要...)
6) on another front
代替on another side
八、英语邮件如何显得更加专业,给人留下好的印象。
· 主题必须要“标题党”,必须包含必要信息,让人有打开的欲望。有些台湾人甚至在标题上加->Steven表示这封邮件是发给谁的。比如 XXXX Delay notice -> Steven
· 一定不要用任何简写,比如c.u(see you)之类,除了pls(please),thx(thanks),当然能不用尽量不用。
· 一定不要用gonna, wanna这种形式,恶俗至极,请变成原形 going to, want to
· 回复别人邮件,要把过往邮件的内容recap一遍,防止别人忘记。
· 多用bullet point, table 让邮件更加清晰。
· 多用callout,一目了然。
· 有附件的话,把附件做一个summary贴在正文。
· 附件的命名一定要规范,让人知道里面是什么,也方便别人保存
· 任何邮件,当天必须回、必须回
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