The Style of Official Documents

of speech. The style of official documents, or ‘officials’ as it is sometimes called, is not homogeneous and is represented by the following sub-styles, or varieties:

1. the language of business documents, 2. the language of legal documents, 3. the language of diplomacy, 4. the language of military documents.

the conditions binding two parties in an undertaking. These parties may be:

a) the state and the citizen, or citizen and citizen (jurisdiction); b) a society and its members (statute or ordinance); c) two or more enterprises or bodies (business correspondence or contracts); d) two or more governments (pacts, treaties); e) a person in authority and a subordinate (orders, regulations, authoritative directions); f) the board or presidium and the assembly or general meeting (procedures acts, minutes), etc.

terminology but the choice of lofty (bookish) words and phrases:

plausible (=possible);
to inform (=to tell);
to assist (=to help);
to cooperate (=to work together);
to promote (=to help something develop);
to secure (=to make certain) social progress;
with the following objectives/ends (=for these purposes);
to be determined/resolved (=to wish);
to endeavor (=to try); to proceed (=to go); inquire (to ask).

signs of the military code, which is supposed to be known only to the initiated.

DAO (Divisional Ammunition Officer);
adv. (advance);
atk. (attack); obj. (object);
A/T (anti-tank);
ATAS (Air Transport Auxiliary Service).

which includes the sender’s name, postal and telegraphic addresses, telephone number as well as reference titles of the sender and recipient, is printed at the top of the notepaper
2. Date. The date should always be printed in the top right-hand corner in the order: day, month, year
3. Name and address, i.e. the inside address or the direction. The inside address is typed in three, four or more lines whichever is necessary, either at the beginning of the letter, or at the end
4. Salutation. The salutation may be: Sir, Sirs, Gentlemen (never ‘Gentleman’), Dear Sirs (never “Dear Gentlemen), Madam, Dear Madam (for both married and unmarried ladies), or Mesdames (plural).
5. Reference. Underlined heading should look as follows: Re: Your Order No 12345. Re is not an abbreviation of “regarding”, but a Latin word meaning “in the matter”.

to commence your letter, one of the following will suit your purpose
7. Body. The body is the subject matter that should be concise but not laconic.
8. Closing or the complimentary close. It usually looks something like this: Yours faithfully / truly / sincerely / cordially (not respectfully as it is too servile).
9. Stamp (if any) and signatures. The closing, with the signature following it, is made to slope off gradually so that the end of the signature just reaches the right hand margin of the letter.
10. Enclosures. The Word “Enclosure “should be written either in full or in its abbreviated form “Enc.” Usually at the bottom left-hand corner of the letter.

a finalizing (concluding) part.