Book suggestions for improving written Chinese for academic correspondence

[prateeksha]

Hello all, I am looking for book suggestions on how to improve written Chinese. I came across this thread 汉语书面用语初编: Expressions of Written Chinese, but I don't know (especially after reading some of the later posts on the thread) if this book fits my requirement.

 

Growing up we used to have books teaching formal application writing, essay writing, precis writing.. You could say English writing skill book. Those had model essays and applications for different purposes (sick leave, job application, seeking permissions etc.). 

 

I wonder if there's a similar book for teaching Chinese formal writing. I specifically do not want a book teaching only how to write business correspondence in Chinese. I will be writing different kinds of letters to many Chinese professors (just introducing myself and research interests, requesting copies of their publications, and later, possibly applying for admission into post-graduate programmes) and while I can certainly put together a piece of text which will convey the intended meaning, I would like my Chinese to be read as a graduate-level student.

 

I have a friend coming back from Beijing tomorrow and he could help me buy a book, if the forum members can help find me one.   

[Angelina]

I have been using 汉语书面用语初编, it is ok, but it wasn't enough for me to learn how to write good academic Chinese. You can get that one because it includes some basic information on prosody and has a list of expressions used differently in spoken and written Chinese, it is a good basis, but I am afraid you already know most of what is in there. 

 

The biggest problem I have been having with writing in Chinese is vocabulary, even if my style is fine, even if what I write is grammatically correct, I still think I need to read more books in Chinese in order to reach the level of an educated native speaker. I still don't feel confident enough, but at least I know how to distinguish between good and bad written Chinese. An example of bad academic writing in Chinese: "在阅读过程中". 过程 is being overused by so many academics, it's like 这个 for many of them. 

 

There are some books that can help you understand how things are being said. I am re-reading my favourite one 《汉语修辞学》   There are numerous examples from literature, I am still trying to process all the information. The good part is that it is a shortcut, if you don't have the time to read what well-read Chinese people have read, this is the only option you have. The most important thing I have learned is how to appreciate the way Chinese people play with language. (Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find good Chinese. Maybe we should start a new thread on where can we read and listen to good, expressive Chinese.)

 

It doesn't really teach you how to write a formal letter, but once you read this book you will definitely move up and write good Chinese. There are some other threads here. We need more help from Kenny. 

 

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/47514-books-on-chinese-rhetoric-and-style/

 

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/47988-正統中文指南-style-guide-to-authentic-chinese/

[prateeksha]

Angelina, thank you very much for your detailed response. I would love to look into this approach of improving my overall 写作能力. However, my current commitments do not leave me with a lot of time and energy to devote to intensive Chinese language study. So for the time being, my search for a book which focuses exclusively on teaching Chinese for official correspondence purposes is still on..

[Angelina]

Don't buy 汉语书面用语初编 then, it's not what you need.

What you need is something that teaches you how to write a good formal letter/email. I haven't found one yet and usually copy the style other people use in their emails.

[roddy]

I had a quick look on amazon.cn, and I can't see anything that fits the bill exactly - there's plenty of 'how to write a thesis' and 'how to write business letters', but nothing on 'how to write academic letters'. Alongside the business books there are also ones for civil servants - not sure if that's more suited to your needs than business or not. 

[gato]

Given that you don't have time to study, it sounds like you need a book of letter templates. Letters to businesses aren't that different from letters to professors. I doubt there are books on letters to professors (given the small market), so I would just ahead and use a book on business letters like the below.

http://www.amazon.cn/gp/aw/d/B0051DZ9PW/ref=pd_aw_sbs_b_3?refRID=1B69G7Y17WFMB1C1K243#productDescription_secondary_view_pageState_1428721397327

《企业实用文书写作与范例》是现代经济与管理类规划教材，高等学校经济管理类专业实践教学系列教材。

商品描述

《企业实用文书写作与范例》定位于企业实用性文书写作指南与范例汇集，主要用作企业人员公文处理和写作的必备工具书和企业内部培训教材，也可以作为高等院校经济管理各专业本科生、硕士生和mba学员提高公文写作技能的实训教材。

目录

七、介绍信

第四章 企业日常公关礼仪文书

一、感谢信

二、慰问信

三、贺信

四、倡议书

五、祝词

六、声明

七、聘书

八、请柬

九、讣告、唁函、悼词

五章 企业会议文书

一、会议通知

二、会议记录

三、会议纪要

四、会议开幕词/闭幕词

第八章 员工职业生涯常用文书

一、求职信

二、自荐信

三、个人简历

四、辞职信

五、申请书

六、述职报告

七、个人工作总结

[gato]

You could try suggestions given in this thread below:

http://www.amazon.com/Developing-Writing-Skills-Chinese-Boping/dp/0415678897

Developing Writing Skills in Chinese

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/47011-book-on-formal-written-chinese/?fromsearch=1

[Angelina]

" It includes a brand-new chapter on narratives and there is new coverage of digital communication methods such as text messages and emails"

Sounds perfect! Formal emails and formal printed letters are not exactly the same.

[prateeksha]

gato, I do have some time to study, but you could say being able to draft a decent-reading letter is my immediate concern. Thank you for the links, the 《企业实用文书写作与范例》one looks good. 

 

Angelina, that's a good strategy. I am not planning on mugging up or blindly typing out the text given in any book I might buy, I do plan on learning from the given text and the conversations which will follow.

 

Roddy, thank you for the link, though I don't think that's what I am looking for.

 

I mentioned the academic part of my requirement several times for the sake of clarity. I suppose the link which gato recommends fits the bill just fine. Thank you every one, again.