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ement whereby the parties establish, change or terminate their civil relationship. Lawfully established contracts shall be protected by law. (合同是當(dāng)事人之間設(shè)立、變更、終止民事關(guān)系的協(xié)議。依法成立的合同,受法律保護(hù)。)This contract is made by A corporation (hereinafter referred to the buyers) and B Company (hereinafter referred to the sellers) whereby the buyers agree to buy and the sellers agree to sell this modity on the following terms and conditions.(本合同由A公司(以下稱賣方)和B公司(以下稱買方)訂立。茲買方同意購(gòu)買、賣方同意出售本商品,其條款如下。) 外來語 Foreign Words合同英語中常見拉丁語有:vice versa (反之亦然),pro rata(按比例),ceteris paribus (假如其它情況或條件相同),stare decisis (遵照過去判例),mutates mutandis(經(jīng)適當(dāng)變通后)等。合同英語中常見法語有:force majeure(不可抗力),obligation solidaire(連帶債務(wù)),entrepreneur(承包商,企業(yè)主),sans recours(無追索權(quán)),societe anonyme (有限公司),等等。 and Triplets合同中的這類詞匯主要有:secret and confidential(保密),null and avoid(無效),terms and conditions (條款), settle claims and debts (清理債務(wù)),import duty and tax (進(jìn)口稅捐), customs and usages (慣例), use and wont (習(xí)慣,慣例),ships and vessels(船只),support and maintenance(支持和維護(hù)),licenses and permits(許可證和許可),charges,fees,costs and expenses(收費(fèi)、費(fèi)用、成本和開支),any and all(任何及全部),any duties,obligations or liabilities(任何義務(wù)和責(zé)任),the partners,their heirs,successors and assigns(合作伙伴、繼承人和受讓人),control and management of the partnership(合伙的控制和管理),applicable laws,regulations,decrees,directives,and rules(適用的法律、法規(guī)、法令、指令以及規(guī)章)。再看幾個(gè)例句:This agreement is made and entered into by and between Party A and Party B. (本協(xié)議由甲方和乙方訂立。)此句中made and entered into 意為“訂立”,by and between意為“由”。The parties hereby covenant and agree as follows.(當(dāng)事人茲同意如下。)此句中convenant and agree意為“同意”。The parties have agreed to vary the Management on the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein.(當(dāng)事人同意根據(jù)協(xié)議中的條款變更“管理部門”。)句中on the terms and subject to the conditions 意為“根據(jù)……條款”。Party A wishes to be released and discharged from the agreement as from the effective date.(甲方希望自生效日起從協(xié)議中解除出來。)句中release and discharge意為“解除”。 正式詞匯合同中的正式詞匯可以從以下合同條款中看出:If the seller is unable to ship the quantity of goods ordered, the seller must notify the buyer before shipment.(如賣方無法交付全部數(shù)量的貨物,則必須在裝運(yùn)前通知買方。)此句中,notify 比tell 正式。On pletion of the inspection and acceptance of the goods, the buyer or its agent will issue a certificate of inspection and acceptance.(在檢驗(yàn)并接受貨物后,賣方或其代理人會(huì)開具驗(yàn)收證書。)此句中,on pletion of 比after正式。No condition or warranty is made regarding the life of the goods supplied.(就所供應(yīng)貨物的使用壽命而言,沒有擔(dān)保被做出。)此句中,regarding 比about 正式。再例如:“因?yàn)椤钡亩陶Z多用“by virtue of”,遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)多于“due to”一般不用“because of ”;“財(cái)務(wù)年度末”一般用“at the close of the fiscal year”,而不用“in the end of the fiscal year”;“在……之前”一般用“prior to”,而不用“before”;“關(guān)于”常用“as regards”, “concerning”或“relating to”,而不會(huì)用“about”;“事實(shí)上”用“in effect”,而不用“in fact”;“開始”用“mence”,而不用“start”或“begin”;“停止做”用“cease to do”,而不用“stop to do”;“何時(shí)開會(huì)并由某某主持”的表述為:The meeting shall be convened and presided by sb.;其中“召開”不用“hold 或call”,而用“convene”;“主持”不用“chair”或“be in charge of ”,而用“preside”;“其他事項(xiàng)”用“miscellaneous”, 而不用“other matters/events”;“理解合同”用“construe a contract”或“prehend a contract”,而不用“understand a contract”;“認(rèn)為”用“deem”,用“consider”少,不用“think”或“believe”;“愿意做”用“intend to do”或“desire to do”,而不用“want to do”,“wish to do”。 專業(yè)詞匯合同用詞不以大眾是否理解和接受為轉(zhuǎn)移,它是合同語言準(zhǔn)確表達(dá)的保障。如合同出現(xiàn)的“瑕疵”、“救濟(jì)”、“不可抗力”、“管轄”、“損毀”、“滅失”等就可能讓非行業(yè)人士費(fèi)解,在英語以上表達(dá)分別為defect, remedy, force majeure/Act of God, jurisdiction, damage and/or loss)。另外幾乎每個(gè)合同都少不了hereinafter referred to as, whereas, in witness whereof,for and on behalf of ,hereby,thereof 等虛詞。這也是合同英語的一大特色。其它例子還有:“賠償”用“indemnities”,而不用“pensation”;“不動(dòng)產(chǎn)轉(zhuǎn)讓”用“conveyance”,而不用“transfer of real estate”;“房屋出租”用“tenancy”,而“財(cái)產(chǎn)出租”用“l(fā)ease of property”;“停業(yè)”用“wind up a business”或“cease (名詞是cessation) a business”,而不用“end/stop a business”;專利許可中的“特許權(quán)使用費(fèi)”只用“royalities”;還款或?qū)@暾?qǐng)的“寬限期”英文“grace”;“當(dāng)事人在破產(chǎn)中的和解”用“position”;以實(shí)物出資為“investment in kind”;“依照合同相關(guān)規(guī)定”一般說“pursuant to provisions contained herein”或“as provided herein”等,不說“according to relevant terms and conditions in the contract”;“合同任何一方當(dāng)事人不得轉(zhuǎn)讓本合同”英文表述為“Neither party hereto may assign this contract”,其中“hereto”表示“to the contract”,選用“Neither party to the contract”較少。 國(guó)際商務(wù)合同的語句特征英文合同的另一個(gè)重要特點(diǎn)就是其句子冗長(zhǎng)。首先,一個(gè)長(zhǎng)句的邏輯性往往比由幾個(gè)簡(jiǎn)單句組成的一個(gè)段落的邏輯性更強(qiáng),說理更為嚴(yán)密,從而最大限度地減小產(chǎn)生歧義的可能性。因此,英美律師在草擬合同的過程中比較青睞長(zhǎng)旬,而較少使用簡(jiǎn)單句。其次,如前所述,英美國(guó)家實(shí)行判例法。先例相較于大陸法系的成文法,其穩(wěn)定性程度有所不如。由于各個(gè)法官的智識(shí)水平有別,先例本身之間就可能存在某些沖突,因此,合同當(dāng)事人通常會(huì)在合同中想盡辦法對(duì)這些已經(jīng)有爭(zhēng)議的先例進(jìn)行規(guī)避,這就必須在合同中就某些可能產(chǎn)生爭(zhēng)議的事項(xiàng)進(jìn)行明確的表述,如常把一連串意義相關(guān)或相近的詞放在一起以求全面而無疏漏。因而整個(gè)合同的句子顯得冗長(zhǎng),但也因此獲得整個(gè)合同的嚴(yán)謹(jǐn),不易產(chǎn)生爭(zhēng)議。例如:The buyer agrees to buy from the seller and the seller agrees to sell to the buyer the necessary equipment, material design, technical documentation, license, knowhow and technical services for construction of a plant with a 54,000 KW phosphorous electric furnace, which will have a production capacity of 30,000 (thirty thousand) metric tons of yellow phosphorus per year and 70,000 (seventy thousand) metric tons of Sodium tripolyphosphate per year with phosphate Rock as raw material by using the process stipulated in Article of this Contract. 這個(gè)例句是由一個(gè)主句、一個(gè)定語從句和多個(gè)短語組成的復(fù)合句。短語for construction 修飾主句中的謂語agree to buy 和agree to sell,講明買賣的目的;短語with a… 和由which 引導(dǎo)的定語從句都修飾plant,講明是什么樣的工廠;短語with phosphate… 和 by using…都修飾從句中的謂語 will have,講明用什么原料和工藝才能具有從句所說的生產(chǎn)能力。在翻譯過程中,通常采用語法分析的方法。只有這樣,才能概括性地正確理解原文,然后結(jié)合漢語的表達(dá)習(xí)慣將意思忠實(shí)、通順地表述出來。于是得到如下譯文:“買方同意想賣方購(gòu)買、賣方同意想買方出售其建廠所需的設(shè)備、材料設(shè)計(jì)、技術(shù)文件、專利許可證、專有技術(shù)和技術(shù)服務(wù)。該工廠將建設(shè)54,000瓦黃磷電爐一座,以磷酸巖為原料、采用本合同第十條第一款所規(guī)定的工藝,具有年產(chǎn)黃磷三萬公噸、三聚磷酸鈉七萬公噸的生產(chǎn)能力?!焙贤募捌渌晌募械挠⑽木渥泳哂薪Y(jié)構(gòu)嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)、句式較長(zhǎng)的特點(diǎn),這是為了使表達(dá)的內(nèi)容準(zhǔn)確、嚴(yán)密、清楚、易解(無歧意)而特別設(shè)定的句式。其中主要是狀語的定位問題,主句的狀語和從句的狀語都各居各位,也是為了不與定語相混淆。認(rèn)真研究句構(gòu),掌握其中的規(guī)律,無論是中譯英,還是英譯中,或是擬草條款,都能得心應(yīng)手。1)主句中的狀語位置由于法律的語言特點(diǎn),法律文件中的英語句子的狀語有其自己的規(guī)則,其位置與基礎(chǔ)英語中的頻度副詞(如often, sometime, never等)的位置相同,一般放在助動(dòng)詞之后,行為動(dòng)詞之前。比如復(fù)合句,主句的狀語位置應(yīng)放在shall之后,動(dòng)詞之前,如:在講解hereto這個(gè)問題時(shí)舉的例句中,就有through amicable negotiations這個(gè)狀語短語插入到shall 與be settled之間,修飾be settled。又如:The securities regulatory authorities under the State Council shall, in accordance with law, implement centralized and unified regulation and supervision of the securities market nationwide. The securities regulatory authorities under the State Council ma