5. The style of official documents:

a) the style of diplomatic documents;

b) the style of business documents;

c) the style of legal documents;

d) the style of military documents.

4.2. Bookish Style

Bookish (formal) functional style differs from colloquial style phonetically, morphologically, lexically, and syntactically. Formal (bookish) English occurs in books and magazines, we hear it from a lecturer, a public speaker, a radio and TV announcer, or in formal official talk. These types of communication are practically reduced to monologues, addressed by one person to another. The speech is prepared in advance. Language means are carefully selected, grammar rules are strictly observed, the vocabulary is elaborate. This kind of speech is not limited socially or geographically.

4.2.3. Scientific prose style

Scientific prose style is characteristic of texts with special contents. Its aim is to prove a hypothesis, to create new concepts, to disclose the internal laws of existence, relations between different phenomena, etc. The language means used in this style tend to be objective, precise, unemotional, devoid of any individuality. The character of texts may be different depending on the field of knowledge, e.g. a text in mathematics consists of a great number of formulae and short texts explaining them. A text in history is a detailed description of events and analysis of historic process.

But there are features common to all kinds of texts. They are :

1. Logical sequence of utterances with clear indicator of their connection. A developed and varied system of connectives, careful paragraphing.

2. Lexical peculiarities:

1) the use of words in their direct meaning;

2) the use of neutral words, terms specific to each branch of science, and learned words;

3) emotionally coloured words, such as interjections, colloquial words and expressions, verbs with post-positions, etc. are almost never used.

3. Syntactical peculiarities:

1) accurate syntactical structures;

2) correct and full sentences, mostly composite ones. Elliptical sentences are not used. Even the conjunctions 'that' and 'which' are not omitted.

3) the use of Passive constructions;

4) the use of constructions with participles, gerund and infinitive;

5) the use of attributive nominal groups.

4. Quotations and references to different authors.

5. Footnotes (sometimes digressive in character).

4.2.4. The style of official documents

The aim of communication in this style is to reach agreement between two contracting parties. The conditions of the agreement are fixed in a document which must be precise not to be misunderstood. The two contacting parties may be:

(a) the state and the citizen or a citizen and a citizen (legal documents);

(b) a society and its members, two or more enterprises or bodies (business correspondence and contracts);

(c) two or more governments (pacts, treaties);

(d) a person in authority and subordinate (orders, regulations, instructions);

(c) a board or presidium and an assembly or general meeting (procedure acts, minutes).

The function of the style predetermines its peculiarities.

Lexical peculiarities:

1) The use of words in their direct logical meaning. Words with emotive meaning are not to be found;

2) A special system of cliches peculiar to each kind of documents, such as Dear Sir, We remain your obedient servants, the above mentioned, on behalf of, I have pleasure in offering you, etc.;

3) Terms specific to each variety of style;

4) The use of archaic words;

5) The use of abbreviations: MP (Member of Parliament), MA ( Master of Arts), etc.

Syntactical peculiarities:

1) A definite compositional pattern for each kind of document. A business letter or a treaty, an order or minutes - each has its own traditional compositional designs.

2) Multi-step, long sentences, which sometimes cover the whole document.