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We argue here that being negative can, in certain contexts, make strategic sense. Making extensive reference to context, we analyze a single annual executive letter written by the director of a small New Zealand business. The letter appears to focus on problems. These problems are, however, relatively minor ones that had either already been solved or were in the process of resolution when the letter was written. These problems appear to serve three functions: to distract attention from more serious issues, to undermine the credibility of potential challengers, and to provide a context in which the writer can present himself and the other company directors positively as problem solvers. The writer's immediate objective appears to have been achieved: The business of the annual general meeting was conducted in eleven minutes, and each resolution was carried without amendment. The status quo was maintained. Focusing on negatives may, however, have proved to be a high-risk strategy in the longer term. Recent communications from the director to stockholders reveal that he is having difficulty in sustaining at least one of the positions he adopted in his executive letter.

The term ESP (English for Specific or Specifiable Purposes) has been used in a general sense to refer to a wide range of very different courses-from the very specific, formulaic or semi-formulaic occupationally-oriented course (for which we use here the label RRE, Restricted Repertoire English), to the very general, open-ended academically related course (generally referred to as EAP, English for Academic Purposes). The fact that the designation ESP is used for both of these suggests that they have more in common than either has with what are sometimes referred to as GPE (General Purposc English) courses. A cióse examination of many EAP courses, however, reveáis that they are very similar indeed to a number of higher level GPE courses and, indeed, to many courses designed for native speakers. We suggest here that, except in the case of RRE, labels suggesting that courses relate directly to specific or specifiable purposes are misleading and should be abandoned.

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