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Business papers: the announcement and the letter
Textbook: p. 183
GoalUnderstand work documents; know the meaning of the words e’lon and xat.
New words
notice · e’lonletter · xatwork document · ish qog‘oziaddress · manzil
Explanation
Work documents are formal texts written to a set template with carefully chosen words. Two of them are the notice (e’lon) and the letter (xat). An e’lon (an Arabic word) is a message that must reach many people, or the paper with that message; it contains a heading, what will happen, when and where, who it is for, and who announces it. A xat is a text sent to one definite person or address; it begins with an address and a greeting, continues with the main thought and ends with a farewell and a signature. In both, sentences must be short, exact and error-free, and dialect words are not used.
Worked examples
Notice: A book exhibition will be held in the school library.
Letter: Hello, my dear friend! Are you well?
Class activity
“Parts of a notice”: for an event the teacher names, list what the notice must include.
Practice
1
From which language is e’lon taken and what does it mean?
Arabic; a message meant for many people.
2
What is a xat?
A text sent to a definite address.
3
How does a notice differ from a letter?
A notice is for many people; a letter is written to one definite person or address.
4
What should the language of a notice be like?
Short, exact and clear.