11.2 Email and Written Communication Etiquette

1. Pre-reading: Formal and Informal Language and Tone in Written Email

Read and find the appropriate expression for the formal and respectful language and tone used in written emails.

Match the Khmer expressions to the English ones.

2. Reading: Writing an Invitation Email

The Negative Particle ពុំ​ ​“Not”

Negative particle ពុំ is a stylistic variant of មិន and អត់. Like មិន and អត់, it usually occurs with the final particle ទេ.

ពុំ is somewhat more formal and respectful than other negative particles and is commonly used when addressing a superior.

Put the phrases in the appropriate boxes.

Mr. Sok is writing an email to Mr. John, the CEO of the company, for a meeting. Help him complete the email by dragging the expressions/words into the correct boxes and then answer the following questions.

3. Post-reading: Accepting and Declining Response

The following are the responses to the invitation email that you read in the reading session. Listen and clarify which is about declining and which is about accepting the invitation.​ After listening, complete the following exercises.

Transcript of Response I. Transcript of Response 2.

Fill in the blanks to make a complete accepting response.

Rearrange the declining response.

Notes:

1. The word មេត្តា, meaning “would you be so kind as to” or “please,” is used to add extra politeness.
2. The particle ផង is a marker for a request or entreaty, such as “please,” and “would you?” Example: សូមប្រាប់គាត់ផងថាខ្ញុំនឹងត្រឡប់មកវិញល្ងាចនេះ។ “Please tell him that I will be back this evening.”