JALT Business Communication

Friendly Reminders - Are they really friendly?

Mira Liyanage

Soka University

JALT Business Communication Journal, Vol..2, Issue 1, November 2024, Pages 33-46
https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.BzCom2.2024-02

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Abstract

This paper, "Friendly Reminders - Are they really friendly?" by Mira Liyanage, explores the challenges adult learners of English face when composing reminder emails that avoid condescension. While reminder emails are a common workplace task, their polite phrasing can be particularly difficult for non-native speakers, who may lack nuanced linguistic resources. The study highlights strategies to soften reminders, such as using indirect requests, empathetic language, and proper syntactic forms. Through a curriculum aimed at intermediate EFL business students, the paper outlines various classroom activities designed to build pragmatic awareness and proficiency in drafting effective reminder emails. These activities incorporate tasks focused on identifying appropriate tones, word choices, and formalities across different business contexts, enabling learners to communicate requests professionally and respectfully in multilingual, multicultural work environments.

Mira Liyanage currently teaches at Soka University, Japan. She also has over ten years of experience as a business English teacher in Japan. Her research interests include Business English as a Lingua Franca (BELF), L2 pragmatics, and task-based language teaching (TLBT).