English Small Talk in Business Letters: Language Forms and Messages

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue V, May 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

English Small Talk in Business Letters: Language Forms and Messages

Elfiondri
Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Bung Hatta, Indonesia

Abstract: – The study examines English small talks also called phatic communion in English business letters. Small talk is a type of speech in which ties are created by a mere exchange of words. In such communication words do not convey meanings, but fulfill a social function. The problems which are discussed involve the forms and messages the written small talks have in business letters. The aim of the study is to find the forms and messages of the written small talks in the letters. To get reach of the aim of the study applies a socio-pragmatic approach, a linguistic research methodology. The result of the study shows that in business letters there are various forms of small talks with directive. Expressive, and declarative category. They contain various messages for example thanks, hope, rejecting, apology, praising, regretting, agreeing, reminding, etc. The letter writers as businessmen use the small talks in their letters with the purpose of establishing and keeping business relationship. The small talks can muffle and please the business participants.

Key words: English phatic communion, English business letter

I. INTRODUCTION

Language used as a medium of communication in social daily lives either oral and written appears in two modes – mode of thought and the social mode (mode of action) (Malinowski, 1923, Arimi, 1998).Malinowski’s language function elaborated by Arimi (1998) means that language in the mode of thought is that language is used in society for expressive purposes, stating concepts, thoughts and perceptions. Understanding such language functions does not derive from speakers’ experience in using a language, but comes from a dictionary or linguistic book. In the speakers’ daily lives the use of language is not only limited to the function. They do not always use language only to express concepts or thoughts, but use it use it in the form of social mode, which is intended for the purpose of building and maintaining social relations.
The use of language in social mode is realized in the form of phatic communication as also known as small talk, meaning that the language of communication conveys information but the information is not important, the importance is the social relations created by the speech codes. Phatic communion so-called small talk of a language is closely related to a culture to which the language belongs. Therefore, phatic communion of a language will differ from another language. However, it is possible that a small talk of a language is the same as that of another language. For example, in English there are small talk,“How are you”,

Read More