Corporate English Mastered
Let’s assume you’ve climbed the career ladder and sailed through many meetings using business English, but now you find yourself hob-nobbing with CEOs, top managers, and demanding shareholders. Will you get away with using your run-of-the-mill business English? Probably not. The corporate world has its own rules for communication, often leaving no room for informalities. This blog post delves into the difference between business English and corporate English, outlining why and how you must master the latter if you have ambition.
Most English learners transitioning from general English to business English find themselves surprised by the informal nature of communication. Business German, for instance, has a distinctly stiffer tone and wordier sentences. From the outset, non-native speakers warm to the use of first names and to the fact that you can use “you” to address any business associate. Many mother tongues come with formality-determined pronouns like for example, French, Italian, and German. In those languages, using “you” in a formal setting represents a major faux pas. Hence, for many, English is a breath of fresh air, even business English.
Although mastering business English is quite the step up from learning general English, most people acquire business English vocabulary and expressions effortlessly. They can add both job and industry-specific vocabulary and are soon ready to excel in any business situation.
Sectors like law, academia, government, and finance communicate within a far more formal register, especially in writing. The same applies to large corporations and the higher echelons of big business. Informal language of any kind will create a negative impression, leaving professionals no choice but to grapple with corporate English and get comfortable using it in all their communication.
What Are the Core Characteristics of Corporate English?
Unlike business English, corporate English is predominantly formal. Similar to academic English, it seeks clarity, precise word use, and a dissociation from the personal. Sentences are usually lengthier, and contractions do not exist, i.e you’re is you are and so on. Let’s examine the main differences:
Grammatical Differences
Distinct usage differences exist between business and corporate English:
Modal Verbs
Corporate English always uses “could”, “may”, “ought”, “must” and hardly ever “can”, “might”, or “should”.
- Business English: “Can we set up a call?”
- Corporate English: “Could we schedule a call?”
Phrasal Verbs
In business English, phrasal verbs are acceptable, but not so in academic or corporate English:
- Business English: “Let’s go over the figures.”
- Corporate English: We ought to review the figures.”
Passive Voice
While the passive voice is frowned upon by most grammar tools, corporate communication adores it:
- Business English: “Please complete the report by Friday.”
- Corporate English: “The report must be completed by Friday.”
Sentence Structure
Business English is far more precise and to the point, with corporate English also seeking to disassociate and render objective:
- Business English: “Sales have gone down. We have to come up with a strategy.”
- Corporate English: “Given the decline in sales, a new strategy is required urgently.”
Pronouns & Disassociation
In corporate English, the use of personal pronouns is much reduced to imply objectivity and focus on processes rather than people:
- Business English: “I think we should let her go.”
- Corporate English: “Terminating her contract may be the best option.”
Promises and Absolutes
While in business communication, you may make promises, corporate language shies away from them. It does so by using “hedging” and the future passive. Directness doesn’t feature much in corporate English either:
- Business English: “This approach won’t work. We’ll come up with a new one shortly.”
- Corporate English: “This approach may create difficulties. A new framework is due to be delivered in the near future.”
In the corporate world, your language will always be more formal. Let’s look at another example:
Expanding Your Vocabulary
When moving into a more formal communication style, new vocabulary is essential. Business news journals, reports, and books can provide a wealth of new words to impress your corporate counterpart.
And, as you already know, practice makes perfect!