Beyond Language: Cultural Predispositions in international Business Correspondence Translation covers only part of the problem of working with people of other nations and cultures. Differences in cultural background may affect business correspondence between Americans and others, and International English may be evolving a cultural style of its own. In correspondence, business people from the low-context cultures of Northern Europe and North America sometimes inadvertently offend their counterparts in high-context cultures by assuming that their correspondents share their values. Such correspondence might be more effective if writers used a rhetorical framework to conceptualize in their letters a sense of their addressees' conditions and of their own roles in relation to their addressees. This dimension of relationship may be difficult for people from low-context cultures. However, because of the increasing use of English as a lingua franca of business, correspondence standards may be changing. Using the example of rhetorical patterns in English and Chinese business letters, I suggest a way to use Western rhetorical principles to accommodate other cultural patterns. Business Correspondence includs: Requesting Information How to ask somebody to send you information. Sending Information What to say when you send information. Resume or CV A resume (AmE) or CV (BrE) is usually requested by a prospective employer as a record of your qualifications and professional experience. CV stands for the Latin words "curriculum vitae", meaning "the course of one's life". Covering Letter for Resume/CV It is usual to send a covering letter (BrE) or cover letter (AmE) with your resume/CV when applying for a job. Letter of Reference Companies and other organizations often ask for a letter of reference. This is a character reference written by someone such as an ex-employer who knows the subject personally. Let's take the ever-more-common case of the American who wants to strike up business dealings with people of another language and culture. Box 3 reproduces a letter to a delegation of Chinese who had visited the United States. They had expressed some interest in the products of Mr. Jones's company, so he wrote them a letter, presumably hoping to sell some. However, as Boiarsky (1995) informs us, his letter drew no response. Dear Sir: Your name and address were referred to me by the Illinois Department of Agriculture--Far East Office. They stated that you had expressed an interest in our products and requested further information. I am therefore enclosing a brocuhre which itemizes our products and services. Pleas let me know your exact requirements. I will be happy to provide you with further details. Thank you for your participation at the Illinois Slide and Catalog Show. I look forward to your reply. Sincerely, Peter Jones Director of Sales Agri-Equipment Division