Business Communication - Formal and Informal Language

There are two types of standard language. The language we speak at home, with friends is informal. It is like casual clothes which people use on informal occasions. Formal language on the other hand is used in offices, businesses and other formal occasions. It is like a suit or dress for public and formal situation.

Formal Language:

We use formal language when we are dealing with serious business affairs. The situations which call for it include the following:

Applications for jobs

Letters to public and utility companies

Business letters

Business reports and memos

Public discussions of serious issues

Formal reports (e.g accident reports)

Oral and written reports

Class discussion

Discussions in conferences, seminars, assemblies and courts.

In formal language we avoid slangs and informal words and sentences. Here we are more respectful, courteous, reserved and careful. We use more resources of the language because it has more synonyms. Audience takes the subject seriously and pays solemn attention to the subject.

Informal Language:

It is spoken language. It is used in private conversation and we use it in personal letters. Informal language has all purpose words. For example boss I all purpose word which is used informally to mean manager, director, employer, owner, gang leader or supervisor. It may be funny which may make us smile such as cheaters which as a slang means eyes glasses.

This language is often used when you are in a hurry. To do so you use contractions such as I’m, I’ve, she’s, it’s and we’re. We are informal free and close to the reader or listener.

Deciding on whether the business language is formal, less formal or informal is not important. The importance of the business communication lies in the fact that it must be understandable, clear and concrete to the point and bring the efficacious, desired results.

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Communication Skills

When two persons get together communication skills are required. Professors, leaders, doctors, politicians, teachers, singers, professionals, religion leaders all required effective communication skills for success in their career.

The following communicates ability and skills are required for success in business career.

1. Must be able to communicate effectively with all levels of management.
2. Must have substantial experience, training in oral and written communication and demonstrate good writing skills.
3. Be able to prepare special analyses, research reports and proposals
4. Need ability to compose effective correspondence.
5. Must have ability to communicate and sell ideas, firm and products.
6. Must be able to cultivate and maintain good customer relationships.
7. Need skills in gathering, analyzing and interpreting data and in writing analytical reports.

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Communication is Life Blood of the Organization

Communication is life and life is communication. It starts with birth and continues till death. The very success of an organization is built upon effective communication. It establishes relationship between the superior and the subordinate, and the quality of relationship revolves around the nature of communication.

The business of an organization is run on interchange of information, plans, ideas, proposals, use of data and conducting discussions, meetings and research which are all different forms of communication.

In an organization the manager has to read, speak, write, listen, observe and supervise that all are media of communication. He uses letters, reports, proposals and memos for written communication.

Business firms must send information about their goods and services to consumers and customers. They do so by advertising, publicity, personal selling and other sales promotional techniques. Managers must know the financial position income and expenditure of their firms. They maintain journals, ledgers, trail balance, worksheets and prepare balance sheets, income statements and budgets. Accounting is an extremely important branch of communication.

Effective communication is the life blood of every organization and a key to success in our business career and our personal life.

Effective communication is vital inside the company because employees can be better motivated and more efficient by it.
Outside the company, a communication to customers, prospective customers, inquirers, suppliers and the public can have a far-reaching effect on the business and goodwill of the company.

A properly organized and arranged letter, telephone call or personal conversation can win back an angry, disgruntled and dissatisfied customer and create goodwill for the company.

In your business career, effective business communication helps you convey your ideas, lead, guide, persuade and motivate your employees. By communication skills you can solve the conflicts between the persons.

Success of the business depends on effective communication. Wars, divorces, disputes, losses and bankruptcies are the result of ineffective or miscommunication. All management problems stem from ineffective communication.

Communication is a key to management effectiveness. Oral, written, formal and informal communications go through many channels and in various directions.

Management needs to communicate policy, instructions, objectives and goals so that all employees will understand and accept them. The final test of all communication is whether it produces the desired results quickly and correctly. Communication is an idea transplant.

There is people to people communication. But also we are continually sending and receiving within ourselves. An artist communicates with himself and others as he pours his inner feelings into some tangible form. The purpose of communication is to bring about a change. It is said that no person can effectively communicate for another person.

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Some Important Facts about Communication

It will be noted with interest that successive transmissions of the same message are decreasingly accurate. Note the following carefully:

1. In oral communication around 30 percent of the information is lost in each transmission.
2. Even written communication is subject to some loss of meaning in transmission.
3. Equally serious is poor retention of information. Studies show that employees retain online 50 percent of communicated information, and supervisors only 60 percent.

Another study shows that there is a tremendous loss of information, which is 37 percent between the board of directors and the vice president level. General supervisors lose 44 percent of the information, plant managers 60 percent, and general foremen lose 70 percent of what had been transmitted downward to them.

4.An average of only 20 percent of the communication sent downward through the five levels of management finally gets to the workers level.

Communication activities fill the business day. An analysis of time spent in communication shows approximately 10 percent in writing, 15 percent reading, 35 percent speaking and 40 percent listening.

D.G. Treichler says that we remember

10 percent of what we read.

20 percent of what we hear.

30 percent of what we see.

50 percent of what we hear and see.

70 percent of what we say.

90 percent of what we act / experience.

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Definition Of Communication

   Every human is incessantly communicating within himself and with the outside world. He is continuously busy thinking, viewing, seeing, listening, speaking, writing, reading or making verbal communication. From a layman to a chef de voute communication plays a tremendously vital role throughout his life. Communication is life and life is communication. Modern life and business cannot go without televisions, V.C.R and DVDs, Telephones, fax, Mobile Phones, Internet and computers which are strong media of communication. The quality of communication determines the extent of the success of a business. The companies that have developed good and effective communication system are far more successful than those without one.

   Communication will be successful and efficacious if you get the desired results. Like science and technology, communication methods and languages are changing and improving fast. A business manager has to continuously learn and improve his knowledge in the language, styles, methods, formats of writing reports, letters, memo. Americans have a great contribution in developing and introducing a new direction in the field of business communication which is quite simple, easy, natural and easily adoptable. They have made business communication a fun and a science.

   Communication is the act of influencing and inducing others to act in the manner intended by the speaker or writer. The word communication is derived from the Latin term “communis” which means common. So communication means sharing of ideas in common. It is interpersonal and inter-and intra organizational interchange of material, understanding information. Communication affects a transfer between at least two minds. Language is the dress of communicator.

According to fred luthans communication is “The flow of material information, perceptions, and understanding between various parts and members of an organization. “According to him communication includes

1. All the methods, means and media of communication.
2. All the channels, networks and systems of communication.
3. All the persons to persons interchange (inter personal communication).
4. All aspects of communication up, down, lateral, speaking, writing, listening, reading, verbal, non verbal methods, media, modes, channels, networks, flow, interpersonal and inter-organizational and body language.”

   Communication may refer to information that is passed on from one person or group to another. It is also used to mean union, liaison or marriage. Its scope includes meeting, conference, linking and connection.
It is the removal from one place to another this concept results in transfer, transmission, transmittal, translation, transfusion, delivery or transfer of property or right.

   Communication may take the form of notice, notification, intimation, instruction, intelligence, and knowledge. Messages, communiqués letters, telegrams and dispatches are its different forms, and include modern communication techniques as fax, email and website.

It is thinking, speaking, writing, reading, listening and observing.

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