About the Blog and its Author

BRUCE DAUPHIN

Business English Consultant

Does Business English Matter?

Yes, of course. English is the international language of business. But English used in business and elsewhere is not uniform—nor need it be. Good business English is not just about correct English—one need not always conform to traditional rules. What matters most is that the language serve as a practical (easy to use) and effective medium of communication for business.

What I Believe

English in business needs, first of all, to be viewed as a tool of expression.  Brevity is good—really good, but this has to be juxtaposed against the need to be clear, courteous and complete. Business English need not be difficult to handle and the speaker or writer should not use it for self-aggrandizement. The rule of thumb should be to look the recipient of the message in the eye (figuratively, if you will) when you communicate. Even when writing, you ought to feel as though you are speaking to someone in person.

What I Do

Bruce in Dubai—bruceindxb.blogspot.com—serves as a platform to offer pointers on how to communicate effectively in English, in the context of business. Topics will include the six Cs—six key basic writing principles; style, tone and register in email; business letter formats; report writing; telephone language; presentation skills; language for meetings and negotiations; etc. The blog also accepts readers’ questions and comments, making it possible to interact with a wider audience on an informal basis. When requested I can arrange to conduct workshops, in selected localities, on a business English topic of the client’s choosing.

How & Where to Reach Me

Start following me right away at bruceindxb.blogspot.com. Read and submit your comments and questions. Call me in Dubai at +971-55-7713558. If you are in India, you may arrange to meet me on one of my visits to Chennai.

Who I am and my Objectives

I have been an English language teacher--to adults, young adults and, formerly, children--for more than 25 years.  Since 2008, I have been conducting Business Writing workshops, among other teaching tasks, for International House Dubai, an affiliate of IH World, a leading language and language-teacher training center. I am a native of the United States, where I earned my initial English teaching qualification at the University of Hawaii. Thereupon, I went on to pursue an English teaching career in Japan, Sri Lanka and, since 2000, in the United Arab Emirates.

My training and work experience inform the topics and commentary of my posts online, while I focus on creating and conducting workshops that teach how to put the business English ideas discussed on the blog into practice. My target audience is the online business community in general, but workshops are primarily aimed at businesses based in cities across the UAE and in Chennai, India. Chennai is an emerging hub of business activity on the Indian sub-continent, and it is a place where I look forward to developing a business network.