A Comparative Study On The Realization Of Interpersonal Function In English Claim Letters And Adjustment Letters

As a written medium for exchanging business information,English business letters enjoy great popularity among businesspersons.In business transactions,unexpected conflicts or problems may occasionally occur.Being the written evidences for handling those conflicts and problems,English claim letters and adjustment letters are frequently used in real business communication.The writer of claim letters,also called the claimant,is the party suffering financial losses,and his communicative purposes lie in pointing out the problems and getting corresponding compensation;the writer of adjustment letters,also called the defaulter,is the responsible party and problem solver,and his communicative purposes lie in solving the problems and maintaining business relationships.Since different communicative purposes closely relate to the interpersonal function of language,thus knowing the realization of interpersonal function in claim letters and adjustment letters is significant for the successful writing of these letters.So far,researches on English business letters have obtained fruitful results at home and abroad.But merely a minority of these researches is based on systemic functional grammar.Besides,the number of comparison between claim letters and adjustment letters is even smaller.With the mood structures and modal operators from systemic functional grammar being the two major dimensions for comparison,a comparative study on the realization of the interpersonal function in the collected 30 claim letters and 30 adjustment letters is conducted.In comparing the realization of interpersonal function in the letters,the author applies Antconc 3.2.1 and Excel 2010 to the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the collected letters,aiming to answer the following three research questions:(1)What are the distribution features of the mood resources used in the claim letters and adjustment letters?(2)What are the distribution features of the modality resources used in the claim letters and adjustment letters?(3)What are the similarities and differences between the claim letters and adjustment letters in realizing interpersonal function?The research findings are listed below.(1)concerning mood,the distribution of mood structures in the claim letters is ordered as declaratives(98.89%)> imperatives(1.11%)> interrogatives(0.00%),while the distribution of mood structures in the adjustment letter is ordered as declaratives(98.60%)> imperatives(0.85%)>interrogatives(0.55%);(2)concerning modality,the distribution of modal operators in the claim letters is ordered as median value modal operators(61.90%)> high value modal operators(21.40%)> low value modal operators(16.70%),while the distribution of modal operators in the adjustment letters is ordered as median value modal operators(59.80%)> low value modal operators(27.90%)> high value modal operators(12.30%);(3)this comparative study reveals that both similarities and differences exist in the realization of interpersonal function in the collected claim letters and adjustment letters.The similarities are as follows.In regard to mood,declaratives are the most frequently used mood resources in both claim letters and adjustment letters.This is chiefly because both claimants and defaulters need to provide sufficient necessary information on the existing problems or possible solutions.In regard to modality,the median value modal operators are the most frequently used modality resources in both claim letters and adjustment letters.This is chiefly because both claimants and defaulters intend to be cautious and moderate in tone,so as to leave room for future negotiations.The differences are as follows.In regard to mood,compared with defaulters,claimants use imperatives of a higher proportion.This is mainly because claimants are the party which suffers losses and takes the dominant position in communication,and they intend to concisely and directly express their demand of compensation;compared with claimants,defaulters use interrogatives of a higher proportion.This is mainly because defaulters intend to know more details of the matters and claimants' expected settlement.In regard to modality,compared with defaulters,claimants use the high value modal operators of a higher proportion.This is mainly because claimants intend to stress the urgency of the matters,put pressure on defaulters or express the determinations to lodge claims;compared with claimants,defaulters use the low value modal operators of a higher proportion.This is mainly because defaulters intend to show politeness and save face.