林传萍
(武汉商业服务学院,湖北 武汉 430056)
求职信又称“自荐信”或“自荐书”,是求职者向用人单位介绍自己情况以求录用的专用性文书,是沟通求职者和用人单位之间的桥梁。通过一定的沟通,在相互认识、交流的基础上,实现相互的交往,是求职信的基本功能。实现交往,求职者才可能展示才干、能力、资格,突出其实绩、专长、技能等优势,从而得以录用。求职信一般由称谓、正文、结尾、附件、署名、成文时间几部分组成。求职信要求语气自然、通俗易懂、言简意赅、具体明确。求职信作为新的日常应用类文体,使用频率极高,其重要作用愈加明显。现在,除了中文求职信,英文求职信的作用也愈显重要。本文旨在分析英文求职信正文部分的人际功能。
系统功能语法认为,经验功能、人际功能、语篇功能是语言的三个纯理功能。其中人际功能表达讲话者的身份、地位、态度、动机和他对事物的推断、判断和评价等。
“给予”和“求取”是人际功能中的两个最基本的言语角色。“提供”、“命令”、“陈述”、“提问”是四种最主要的言语功能。其中,“陈述”和“提问”交换的是信息,被称为“命题”;“提供”和“命令”交换的是“货物与服务”,被称为“提议”。直陈语气和祈使语气则体现了这四大言语功能。“语气”和“情态”是人际功能的重要组成部分。语气由主语和限定成分构成。讲话者对义务或意愿所作出的判断以及对他讲话所涉及的概率或频率则被称为情态,广义的情态包括意态。人际功能概述于下表:
言语角色 交换物 言语功能 中介类型给予 信息 命题 陈述 情态 概率提问 频率求取 物品与服务 提议 命令 意态 义务提供 意愿
由马丁创建的评价系统理论为人际功能作出了巨大贡献,进一步丰富了人际意义。
根据系统功能语法,感叹、祈使、疑问和陈述是语气的四种基本类型。通常情况下,祈使语气由祈使句体现,用来表达命令功能;疑问语气由疑问句体现,用来表达提问功能;陈述语气由陈述句体现,用来表达陈述功能。但在言语交际过程中,人们也有可能使用疑问句行使命令功能,陈述句表示提问功能等。语气通常由主语和限定成分构成。
英文求职信正文内容一般分为三部分,第一部分是开头语,一般用来确定所申请的职位,说明你为什么对它感兴趣,通常有四种开头形式,即提问式、总结式、推荐式和回应求才广告式;第二部分是阐述段落,在阐述过程中求职者提供信息来证明自己的候选人资格,激起招聘方对作为潜在候选人的求职者的兴趣,在这个部分要展示自己的资历,解释这些资历如何能为招聘方带来利益;第三部分是结束语,结尾段落有助于确保读者采取行动,要以礼貌、令人愉快的方式结束求职信,并表示有空参加面试,写上联系方式等。通过对搜集的英文求职信分析,我们发现在英文求职信中,陈述句是使用最多的句式,在英文求职信的所有小句当中所占的比例最大,因为小句当中所占的比例最大,占82%,因为英文求职信的目的是为了向招聘方介绍自己,表示求职者对工作的兴趣,并描述自己的资历和工作经验,展示自己的兴趣爱好、能力、态度等,陈述在最近的工作上取得的使人印象深刻的成绩,阐述它们如何与工作要求相匹配,以及将怎样给雇主带来利益。所以英文求职信一般多使用陈述语气。尤其是英文求职信的中间部分多使用陈述句,如:
Since last year,I have been working in the United States as a freelance editor,translator and telephone interpreter.
My knowledge of English and business continues to expand through daily listening to business news broadcasts on the internet.
I have developed positive teacher-student relationship skills,including patience and tact.
Through so many years’hard work,I have developed a deep understanding of domestic packaging industry.
The following eight-year working experience offered me a good chance to give full play to my creativity,intelligence and diligence.
The undergraduate education gave me a wide range of vision and taught me how to cooperate with others.
I developed several professional interests in Accounting,Finance,and International Trade.
I think I'm a good team player and I am a person of great honesty to others.
With my qualifications and experience,I feel I am hard-working,responsible and diligent in any project I undertake.
在所收集的语料中,疑问句在英文求职信中也被使用,占10%,主要用在开头部分,这主要是由于求职者在开头部分为引起招聘方的注意,遵循“以读者为中心”的态度,关注读者的需求。如:
Are you looking for someone who works well with people of all nationalities and backgrounds?
Do you need someone who has organized her own successful EFLprogram?
Are you looking for a person who enjoys assisting individuals fromdiverse cultures and whois stronglyinterested in international relations?
Do your students need a teacher that can create and use excellent EFL teaching materials?
Are you looking for someone who is prepared to work with enough creativity,intelligence and diligence?
Are you in need of a person who is very familiar with the overseas packaging industry?
Does your company need a staff who knows well about ITindustrywith good English proficiency?
另外,在所收集的语料中,祈使句也被使用,占8%。祈使句主要是使用在结尾部分,这主要是由于在结束语部分,一般求职者要请求行动—面试,如:
Please consider me for this position.
Please give me the opportunity to discuss how my qualifications have prepared me for your position at Saint LeoUniversity.
Let me show my creativity,intelligence and diligence in your company.
Please contact me at jason@hotmail.com or at 407-598-8896 between 2 p.m.and 9p.m.
Please find additional educational and employment details in the enclosed resume
Let me put my energy,experience and qualifications to work for your company.
情态用来表示说话人的意愿和判断以及说话人对某个命题或提议的态度、看法。根据系统功能语法情态可分为两类,即情态化和意态化。情态化包括通常性阶和可能性阶;意态化包括倾向性阶和责任阶。情态可以通过情态词,情态状语,限定成分等来实现。同时,情态助动词可分为低、中、高量值。
低值:could,may,can……
中值:should,would,will……
高值:ought to,has to,must……
不同的情态意义和说话人的不同态度由不同量值的情态表达。情态量值越低,话语越礼貌,情态量值越高,话语越不礼貌。研究发现英文求职信中一般用中低情态值,这是因为英文求职信是求职者为了向招聘方推销自己而写,如:
I can bring to your company a responsible attitude and a deep respect for teamwork.
I can be reached through email at jim@hotmail.com or at 345-585-6899 from9 a.m.to4 p.m.toschedule an interview.
We may set an appointment to discuss my qualifications.
I will bring those qualities and more to the position ofAssistant Director for International Studies.
I will get along well with every member in your company.
这里的may、can和will分别是低值和中值。
评价理论反映了说话者对观点、形势、事件、人物等好或不好的评价,也是实现人际功能的重要手段。通过对搜集的语料进行分析,笔者发现所有的英文求职信有大量的褒义性的评价性形容词,几乎所有的评价都是褒义、正面的。例如:
From the enclosed resume,you can also get detailed information about my excellent grades in college and extensive organizational experiences.
I have developed positive teacher-student relationship skills.
Ten years of translating and interpreting experience and strong oral and written communication skills have prepared me for your translator position.
All of these are important characteristics for the Assistant Director position.
Practical human relation experiences will allow me to adapt easily to your organizational routine.
从以上的例句可以看出,求职者使用excellent/extensive/strong/imp ortant/practical等褒义性的评价性形容词来说明自己有足够的能力做好所聘职位的,并能给招聘方带来利益的,同时表达了求职者对招聘方的态度是既友好又诚恳的。
本文分别从情态、语气、评价角度探讨了英文求职信中人际功能的实现。研究发现,陈述句是语气的主要实现手段,同时也有少量的疑问句和祈使句;大量使用中、低量值的情态助动词以显示求职者的礼貌;广泛使用褒义性评价性形容词以说明自己是所聘职位的合适人选。通过人际功能分析,笔者发现英文求职信完成了求职者和招聘方之间的人际互动。
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