Abstract: Business e-mails play a more and more important role in today’s international trade. A qualified and effective business e-mail will surely prompt transactions smoothly. In the business e-mail writing, human beings are the core so we should take the communication principles into consideration such as the cooperative principle and politeness principle. The key point of writing a business e-mail is the information that it intends to express. Therefore, the capability of applying the words would exert a direct effect on the e-mail. The linguistic and communication theories would surely lead us to write an effective business e-mail. Knowing the essence of business e-mail writing and grasping its features together with analysis of real cases, we could put forward practical suggestions.
Key words: business e-mail; communication principles; language usage; writing suggestions

摘  要：商务邮件在当今国际贸易中起着举足轻重的作用。一篇高质有效的邮件无疑能促进交易的顺利进行。邮件交往以人为核心，因此在写作时就要考虑到交际方面的内容，例如合作原则和礼貌原则。商务邮件最重要的就是其所传达的信息。而对语言文字的运用的能力将会直接影响邮件所传达的效果。运用语用学，语言学的知识将会很好的指导我们进行写作。认清商务邮件的本质，把握住其特点并结合实际案例，我们就能提出一些切合实际的写作建议。
关键词：商务邮件；交际原则；语言运用；写作建议

Communicating through computer-based messaging systems is becoming an increasingly valuable means to do business in the contemporary markets. The first e-mail was sent by Ray Tomlinson and since then it developed rapidly all over the world. In 1994, Laurence Canter and his wife Martha Siegel sent advertisements to some news groups they can find through the e-mails. Even though the earliest marketing e-mails started as junk e-mails they had a great influence on the business world.
The business e-mail as a new method for people to do business is being recognized by more and more people. It is important not only in the native speaker’s countries but also in non-native speaker’s countries because of the overwhelming globalization. The fact that English is used so extensively in the global business yields quite a surprising result. It means that written business English will ultimately be directed more at a non-native English audience than at a native English audience. Under this circumstance, people are anxious to find ways to make their e-mails more attractive and practical.