Business Communication

1209 Words3 Pages

Dear Michael,

I am writing this letter to you in hopes of helping you understand what is taking place in our business communications course. I do understand that as a native speaker to English, this course may be a bit difficult for you, however please don't worry as I am always here to help you. This week we are putting our focuses on the "Word Power" conference. This conference has been set up for students to participate in a fun new way of introducing new words and phrases. These words and phrases are English culture specific and may be difficult to learn, however with my help I am hoping you will understand the definition of the word as well as understand the phrases that this word provokes.

In this conference we are discussing the word "Joe". Joe is a simple word, yet is used in so many ways to refer to so much. The word "Joe" in its simplest form is a noun and refers to a person, place or thing. Its most common reference is to a person; "Joe" is a name or nickname. It has become an easy way to refer to other phrases that mean more than just a name. The word is very informal and is used in a casual context. The military community has also adopted the word "Joe" and it used to refer to a cup of coffee, "May I have a cup of Joe to go with my breakfast?" In addition the Armed Forces use the word to refer to a United States soldier anywhere in the world (G.I. Joe), again this is a very informal way of addressing a military personnel. The abbreviation to "G.I." stands for Government Issued. While these are the most common use of the word there are many more.

In order for you to grasp a better understanding of the word, I have researched your home country (Spain) to see if your homeland uses the word in any familiar ways. You should be able to relate to the word, as the names Jose, Joseph, and Josephine, all derive from the word "Joe". In addition "St. Joseph, Trinidad and Tobago is the oldest town in Trinidad and Tobago. Originally named San José de Oruña, it served as the capital of Spanish Trinidad between 1592 and 1783" (Wikipedia).

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