法律英语文本特点

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Characteristics of Legal Documents

从文体角度来讲,英汉法律文件都属于庄严文体,又称“冰冻体”

(The Frozen Style), 都具有用词专业、庄重、表达严谨、精炼等特点。 Comparison of Legal Documents between English and Chinese 由于语言差异,英汉法律文件各有其不同特点,可归纳为三个层面:词汇、句法和语法。以下分别加以详细比较。 1.词汇方面

首先,英语法律文件广泛使用法语、拉丁语和古体英语词以显示法律文件的庄重和严肃。 如:terms, claim, state, payments premium (付款保证金) 等来自法语,古体词多是副词,由here, there, where 等词加上介词构成,如:hereafter(自此以后,此后), hereby(由此方式,由此), hereof(关于此点), thereafter (此后,其后), there-by (借此;从而;由此), whereas(考虑到?;鉴于;然而,而), wherein(其中;在那里;在哪方面), whereon(此后;然后;于是)等等;汉语法律文件几乎没有外来词,除了用少量的文言文如“兹、系、谨此、之、其”外,汉英法律文件使用大量的现代汉语的正式语言来表达法律文件的正式和庄重。

其次,英语法律文件中大量使用情态动词,尤其是情态动词shall。Shall的用法是较古老的英语,在法律文件中有其特殊的含义,意为“应当承担的责任和义务”。比较而言,汉语法律文件使用情态动词的频率不如英语高。 2.句法方面

英语法律文件大量使用长句,几十字、上百字的长句很多。甚至于为了严谨、准确,会在句子里附加各种修饰语、说明语,以致句法成分前后编插、句子结构膨胀、语法关系复杂;相比之下,汉语法律文件句子表达简洁、精练,还会有很多省略,尤其是主语的省略。 此外,条件句,尤其是以if引导的条件句在英语法律文件中很普遍;汉语法律文件也有条件句,但一定会隐藏为“?的”字句。 3.语法方面

被动语态是英语法律文件的一大特点,而汉语却很少使用它。尤其是“被”字句的被动语态,多数情况下,汉语采用省略主语的主动

语态,这样既客观又避免了“被”字句的频繁使用。另外,汉语还常直接用主动句表达被动意义。

4. Translation Principle of Legal Documents

因为法律文书直接影响到有关方面的权利义务,文字略有出入就会产生严重后果。因此,翻译法律文件要求的是严谨和精确。使用庄严词语、专业术语时用词要准确、精练,以符合法律文体的特点。 5. Translation Methods of Legal Documents (法律文体翻译的要点) 鉴于法律文体的特点和英汉法律的差异,在英汉互译时,应注意如下几方面的翻译:条件句、词类转换、长句和语态。 1)条件句

英语法律文件中多使用条件句。英语条件句除了if引导之外,还有由whereas引导的称之为“鉴于句”,即鉴于存在某种情形,故主句应采取某种措施,以期达到一定的目的;subject to 引出的宾语为满足某项要求的必要条件;由case 组成的词组in case of, in case, in case that, 含义为要求采取某项措施,以防止某种情况发生;由event组成的词组…in the event of, 强调事件发生的事实;provided 或providing 表示 “在…前提下”,“在…条件下”; except 意为“排除某种情形”。汉语法律文件也使用由“如果”引导的条件句,但有时也会将条件隐藏在“…的”字结构中。所以在英汉法律文件翻译中,可根据两种语言条件句表达的特点,进行相应转化。如: (1) If Party B shall commit any material breach of this contract… 如果乙方有违反本合同的行为……

(2) Subject to the conditions hereafter set forth, a company will

indemnify and protect the purchaser against any losses or damages. 在下述情况下,A公司将保护买方不受损失。

(3) If under Clause 31 the employer shall employ other contractors on the site, he shall require them to have the same regard for safety and avoidance of danger. 如果根据第31 条规定,业主在现场还雇佣其他承包人时,业主应同样地要求这些承包人在安全和避免危险方面负同样的责任。

(4) Unless it is legally or physically impossible, the contractor shall execute and complete the works and remedy the defects therein in strict accordance with the contract to the satisfaction of the engineer. 除法律和外界条件不允许的情况之外,承包商应严格按合同施工和竣工,并改正工作中的任何缺陷,达到工程师满意的程度。 (5) 除非合同另有说明/规定,本合同的条款将……

Unless otherwise stipulated in this contract, the terms and conditions of this contract shall…

(6) 夫妻对婚姻关系存续期间所得的财产约定归各自所有的,夫或妻一方对外所负的债务,第三人知道该约定的,以夫或妻一方所有的财产清偿。(《婚姻法》第十九条第三款) If husband and wife agree, as is known to the third party, to separately possess their property acquired during their marriage life, the debt owed by the husband or the wife to a third party, shall be paid off out of the property separately possessed by him or her. 2)词类的转换

在法律文件英汉翻译中,常把英语的名词化结构转换为汉语的动词,而把汉语的动词名词化。如:

(1) Unless otherwise provided for herein, failure or delay on the part of any party to exercise any right, power or privilege under this

Agreement shall not operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege preclude further exercise thereof or exercise of any other right, power or privilege. 除非本协议另有规定,任何一方未能或延迟行使其在本协议項下的任何权利、权力或特权,不应视为其放弃该权利、权力或特权;单项或部分行使任何权利、权力或特权,亦不妨碍其进一步行使该权利、权力或特权或行使其他权利、权力或特权。

原文中出现很多名词如failure,delay,waiver,和exercise,在翻译成汉语时,要转换成动词才符合汉语表达习惯。

(2) 走私禁止进口或限制进出口的货物,构成犯罪的,依照… Smuggling of goods whose import or export are subject to the

prohibitions or restrictions, which constitute criminal offences, shall be subject to …

3) 结构复杂的长句

英语法律文件中惯用结构严谨、关系复杂的长句以达到表述精确的目的。汉语相比较而言表达简洁、精练。所以在英汉互译中,要在保证准确传递意思的基础上,在形式上注意译文的表达通顺、流畅,以符合汉语的行文习惯。

(1) If a letter or other writing containing a late acceptance shows that it has been sent in such circumstances that if its transmission had been normal it would have been reached the offeror in due time, the late acceptance is effective as an acceptance unless, without undue delay, the offeror informs the offeree that it considers the offer as having lapsed or dispatches a notice to the effect. 如果载有逾期接受的信件或其他书面文件表明,它是在传递正常、能及时送达发价人的情况下寄发的,则该项逾期接受具有接受的效力,除非要约人毫不迟延地用口头或书面通知受要约人:他认为他的要约已经失效。

(2) If upon the death of the life insured there shall be no duly constituted personal representative or norminee or assignee of the Life Insured able and willing to give a valid receipt for the sum payable such sum may in the discretion of the Committee of Management be paid to one or more of the next-of-kin of the life Insured whose receipt shall

effectually discharge the Society from all liability under this policy. 投保人去世时如无适当委任之个人代表或指定人或代理人能够并愿意为取得应付款额出示有效收据,此笔款额可由管理委员会酌情付与投保人之最近亲属;一旦该最近亲属接受付款后保险公司不再负有本保险单规定之责任。

原文是没有标点符号的长句,对于这种长句更需正确理解,适当切分,才能准确清晰地予以表达。

(3) 为进一步扩大对外开放,发展对外经济技术合作和贸易,加快上海市经济技术开发区建设,根据中华人民共和国有关法律、法规,结合本市实际情况,制定本条例。 These regulations are enacted in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of the People’s Republic of China and in the light of the actual situation in Shanghai for purpose of further opening to the outside in economic and technological cooperation and trade, thereby speeding up the construction of economic and technological development zones in Shanghai.

4) 语态的转换

一般地讲,英语法律文件中大量使用被动语态,而汉语中倾向于主动,而且常常省略主语。所以在翻译时,要注意这些特点,做到译文的语态符合汉语习惯。如:

(1) Where notice is required it may be given by any means appropriate to the circumstances. 要求发出通知的,通知可以任何符合情形的方式发出。 (2) The clause was inserted unilaterally. There was no negotiation. 该条款没有经过谈判,(纯)系单方面插入。

(3) 为了规范保险活动,保护保险活动当事人的合法权益,加强对保险业的监督管理,促进保险事业的健康发展,制定本法。 This law is enacted for the purpose of regulating insurance activities, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the parties involved, strengthening supervision and control of the insurance industry and promoting its healthy development.

(4) 当事人为自己的利益不正当地阻止条件成就的,视为条件已成就;不正当地促成条件成就的,视为条件不成就。 Where either party, for the sake of its own interests, unjustifiably

prevents the fulfillment of the foresaid conditions, the conditions shall be deemed as fulfilled; where either party unjustifiably hastens the fulfillment of the conditions, the conditions shall be deemed as not fulfilled.

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