🗊Презентация The Style of Official Documents

The Style of Official Documents Kazymbekova Korkem TFL-42

Official documents are written in a formal, “cold” or matter-of-fact style of speech. The style of official documents, or ‘officials’ as it is sometimes called, is not homogeneous and is represented by the following sub-styles, or varieties: 1. the language of business documents, 2. the language of legal documents, 3. the language of diplomacy, 4. the language of military documents.

The main aim of this type of communication is to state the conditions binding two parties in an undertaking. These parties may be: a) the state and the citizen, or citizen and citizen (jurisdiction); b) a society and its members (statute or ordinance); c) two or more enterprises or bodies (business correspondence or contracts); d) two or more governments (pacts, treaties); e) a person in authority and a subordinate (orders, regulations, authoritative directions); f) the board or presidium and the assembly or general meeting (procedures acts, minutes), etc.

The vocabulary is characterized not only by the use of special terminology but the choice of lofty (bookish) words and phrases: plausible (=possible); to inform (=to tell); to assist (=to help); to cooperate (=to work together); to promote (=to help something develop); to secure (=to make certain) social progress; with the following objectives/ends (=for these purposes); to be determined/resolved (=to wish); to endeavor (=to try); to proceed (=to go); inquire (to ask).

Here they are used not only as conventional symbols but as signs of the military code, which is supposed to be known only to the initiated. DAO (Divisional Ammunition Officer); adv. (advance); atk. (attack); obj. (object); A/T (anti-tank); ATAS (Air Transport Auxiliary Service).

The usual parts of the business paper are: 1. Heading. The heading, which includes the sender’s name, postal and telegraphic addresses, telephone number as well as reference titles of the sender and recipient, is printed at the top of the notepaper 2. Date. The date should always be printed in the top right-hand corner in the order: day, month, year 3. Name and address, i.e. the inside address or the direction. The inside address is typed in three, four or more lines whichever is necessary, either at the beginning of the letter, or at the end 4. Salutation. The salutation may be: Sir, Sirs, Gentlemen (never ‘Gentleman’), Dear Sirs (never “Dear Gentlemen), Madam, Dear Madam (for both married and unmarried ladies), or Mesdames (plural). 5. Reference. Underlined heading should look as follows: Re: Your Order No 12345. Re is not an abbreviation of “regarding”, but a Latin word meaning “in the matter”.

6. Opening. If you are hesitating for a phrase with which to commence your letter, one of the following will suit your purpose 6. Opening. If you are hesitating for a phrase with which to commence your letter, one of the following will suit your purpose 7. Body. The body is the subject matter that should be concise but not laconic. 8. Closing or the complimentary close. It usually looks something like this: Yours faithfully / truly / sincerely / cordially (not respectfully as it is too servile). 9. Stamp (if any) and signatures. The closing, with the signature following it, is made to slope off gradually so that the end of the signature just reaches the right hand margin of the letter. 10. Enclosures. The Word “Enclosure “should be written either in full or in its abbreviated form “Enc.” Usually at the bottom left-hand corner of the letter.

An official document usually consists of a preamble main text body a finalizing (concluding) part.

The preamble is usually a statement at the beginning of the document explaining what it is about and stating the parties of the agreement, e.g. “The States concluding this Treaty (Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons), hereinafter referred to as the ‘Parties to the Treaty’…have agreed as follows…”. The preamble is usually a statement at the beginning of the document explaining what it is about and stating the parties of the agreement, e.g. “The States concluding this Treaty (Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons), hereinafter referred to as the ‘Parties to the Treaty’…have agreed as follows…”. The main text body constitutes the central and most important part of the document. It consists of articles – individual parts of a document, usually numbered ones, which state the conditions on which the parties reach their agreement. For example, Article I of the above cited Treaty begins: “Each nuclear-weapon State Party to the Treaty undertakes not to transfer to any recipient whatsoever nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices or control over such weapons or explosive devices directly, or indirectly…” The finalizing part comprises the signatures of the duly authorized people that have signed the document; the amount of copies of the document; the date (more often than not, stated by words, not by figures); the place: “IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, duly authorized, have signed this Treaty.