在國際貿易中,商務談判成功后,都會雙方簽合同是必須的,而合同的擬寫需要十分謹慎,那么關于合同的常用詞都有哪些要求呢?以下是小編給大家整理的商務實戰應用文寫法精講:合同中常用詞-3,希望可以幫到大家
3. easily-confused words易混淆的詞
國際商務合同中還有一些易混淆的詞,這些詞中有的書寫雖基本相同,內容卻有很大區別;有的可以表達同一概念,但使用場合有別;還有的詞語由于發生變形,產生了權利義務的改變等。因此,對于易混淆的詞語,譯者一定要運用綜合分析判斷的方法,勤查專業工具書,從共性中發現其個性,切忌生搬硬套,囫圇吞棗。易混淆詞的處理,應注意以下幾點:
1) attention to meaning注意書寫基本近似,但意義不同的詞
英文中有許多詞在書寫上基本上相似,但在內容上有很大的區別,特別是一些短語,更換一個介詞或添加一個冠詞,其內容就會有很大的區別。這些詞或短語一定要引起譯者的足夠重視。
「例24」
(1) the party b shall request his bankers to open an irrevocable letter of credit in party a's favour upon receipt of party a's confirmation of this order.
一但收到甲方關于此項訂貨的確認后,乙方便要求其銀行開立以甲方為受益人的信用證。
句中的短語in one's favour意思為“以……為受益人”。
(2)our goods that we offer you are much in favour on the european continent.
我方向你方報盤的貨物,在歐洲大陸頗受好評。
該句中的in favour與上句的in one's favour只相差一個名詞所有格形式或形容詞性物主代詞,但意義卻大不相同。in favour在本句中的意思是“受賞識,受好評”。
「例25」
(1) the foreign party shall furnish to the joint venture company all the technical data necessary to ensure the effective operation of the machinery.
外方必須向合資公司提供一切必要的技術數據,以保證機械設備的正常運行。
句中的動詞ensure意思為“保證,擔?!保鋾鴮懪cinsure只相差一個字母,但意義卻完全不同。又如:
(2) the seller have insured the goods fpa and against war risk at the rate of 0.5%for the sum of usd 36,000 with the insurance company.
賣方已為該貨物向保險公司投保平安險和戰爭險,費率0.5%,投保額為36,000美元。
該句中的insure表示to make a contract that promises to pay sb an amount of money in case of accident,injury,death or damage or loss of sth.
「例26」
(1) up to now we have not heard anything from them about the order in question.
到目前為止,我方仍未接到他們關于該定貨的任何消息。
句中的in question意思為“正在被談起的”,經常譯成“該”,如:the contract in question(該合同)。
(2)it is obviously out of question to effect the shipment in june.
很明顯,6月份交貨不成問題。
句中的out of question意思為: “毫無疑問”或“沒有問題”。
(3)the prices shown in price-lists and catalogues shall be deemed to be the rock-bottom prices and any further reductions is out of the question.
價目單和商品目錄中標明的價格,應視為最低價格,不會再次減價。
該句中的out of the question與上句中的out of question只相差一個定冠詞,但其意義卻完全相反。前者表示impossible,而后者卻表示no problem.
「例27」
(1) the borrower agrees to transfer t0 the lender the right to accept and substitute other assigned accounts subsequent to this date, in lieu of accounts this day assigned.
借款人同意向出借人轉讓收取和兌取自即日起的以后各項應收賬款的權利,用以取代今天的各項應收賬款。
句中的lieu意思為“代替”,如:accept a cheque in lieu of cash(接受支票替代現金)。
(2) machinery shall become the sole property of the joint venture company, free and clear of all liens, charges and claims of any kind whatsoever.
機械設備應成為合資公司的獨占財產,不存在任何留置權,不存在任何費用,索賠等情況。
該句中的lien與上句中的lieu書寫非常近似,但lien的意思為right to keep sb's property until a debt owed in connection with it,法律上稱“留置權”,屬擔保方式的一種。
2) attention to the relation
注意同一概念、但表達不同權利義關系的詞
合同英語中的某些單詞,單獨地看,其概念是一致的。但在條款的具體應用中,其表現的權利義務關系和用詞的規范與否是不同的。
「例28」
(1) the contract price set forth in this contract shall not include any withholding tariff and any charges imposed on the contractor by the government in new zealand.
原譯文:
在合同中規定的合同價格,不應包括新西蘭政府向承包人征收的扣交稅金和任何費用。
該譯文中的“稅金”應改為“關稅”。tariff在表示“稅”時,主要用于“關稅”,即:a schedule or system of duties imposed by a government on goods imported or exported at the rate of duty imposed in tariff.
(2) the china corporation shall bear all relevant taxes and levies imposed upon the personnel by the chinese government, whereas the employer shall bear the same imposed upon the personnel by the government of the project-host country.
中國公司應負責交納中國政府對人員所征收的一切稅金;雇主應負責交納項目所在國政府對人員所征繳的一切稅金。
該句中出現了兩個有關“稅金”的單詞,即taxes and levies.其中tax在表示“稅”時,主要強調:money taken compulsorily by the government or by an official body to pay for government services; levy作為名詞,主要表示一種“征稅”的行為,即:money which is demanded and collected by the government or by an agency or by an official body.因此,句中的taxes and levies合在一起可理解為:(中國政府所征收的)“一切稅金”。
(3)the prices quoted above do not include any taxes. duties, impost and any other charges of any kind which may be levied in china.
以上所指的價格并不包括在中國境內所征收的各種稅款、關稅、進口稅以及其他各種費用。
該句中除taxes外,還出現兩個表示“稅”的單詞,即duty 和impost.其中duty主要強調the tax imposed by a government on merchandise imported from another country,可理解為“關稅”。但duty在表示“關稅”時與tariff是有本質區別的,前者主要表示tax to be paid for importing,而后者除表示tax to be paid for importing外,還可以表示tax to be paid for exporting,所以,在翻譯duty時,一般應結合上下文寫成:“在某國內所征收的關稅”;句中出現的另一個表示“稅”的單詞是impost,這個詞純粹表示“進口稅”,但不一定是通過海關所征的稅。
「例29」
(1)合資各方的責任:
甲方責任:
1.辦理為設立合資公司向中國有關主管部門申請批準,登記注冊,領取營業執照等事宜;
2.……
乙方責任:
1.辦理合資企業委托在中國境外選購機械設備等有關的事宜:
2.……
(1) responsibilities of each party to the joint venture
responsibility of party a:
1.handling of approval. registration business license and other matters concerning the establishment of the joint venture company from the relevant departments in charge in china.
2. ……。
responsibility of party b:
1. handling the matters entrusted by the joint venture company, such as selecting and purchasing machinery and equipment outside china, etc.
2.……
英譯該條款時,應首先確定和選擇“責任”一詞的英語表述。合同英語中經常出現的兩個表示“責任”的單詞,一個為liability,另一個為responsibility.這是兩個極易混淆的詞匯,
在表達當事人的責任時是共同的,但涉及到具體的權利義務時,兩詞是有嚴格區別的。
liability在表示責任時,主要強調兩個方面:一方面指“賠償責任”(being legally responsible for paying or damage or loss),如:the underwriters refused to take any liability for the losses(承包人對損失拒絕承擔責任);另一方面指“債務責任‘(一般用復數形式liabilities),如:the seller shall refund to the buyer such amounts after paying all tax liabilities(在付清一切稅款后,賣方須向買方償還這些款項)。因此,”有限責任公司“常被譯成limited liability company,表示a company where a member is responsible for repaying the company’s debts only up to the face value of the shares he owns.
responsibility在表示“責任”時,著重強調“職責、義務”(commitment or duty for which a party is responsible),如:the licensee shall assume full responsibility for the payment of all royalties(對于一切專利權使用費的支付事宜,許可證受讓方應承擔完全責任)。
由上面的分析和比較可見,以上句子中的“責任”顯然是合同各方應履行的職責和義務。因此,應譯為responsibility.
(2)任何一方當事人違反合同的賠償責任,應相當于另一方因此所受到的損失,但不得超過違反合同的一方訂立合同時應當預見到的因違反合同可能造成的損失。
the liability of a party to pay compensation for the breach of a contract shall be equal to the loss suffered by the other party as a consequence of the breach. however, such compensation may not exceed the loss, which the party responsible for the breach ought to have foreseen at the time of the conclusion of the contract as a possible consequence of a breach of contract.
該句中的“責任”明顯是一種being legally responsible for paying loss,所以選擇liability是合適的。
3) attention to the legal expressions
注意表達不同法律關系但意義近似的詞
某些表達當事人法律關系的漢語詞或其近義詞在不同的上下文中,其不盡相同。把這些詞譯成英語時,必須認真研究分析,必要時應對合同中當事人約定的權利義務條件進行比較,選出最恰當的英語詞匯。
「例30」
(1)由于發生地震、臺風、水災、火災、戰爭及其他無法預見并且對其發生和后果均不能防止或避免的不可抗力事件,致使直接影響合同的履行或者不能按約定的條件履行時,遇有上述不可抗力事件的一方,應立即將事件情況書面通知對方,并在其后15天內,提供事件詳情及全部或部分合同不能或需要延期履行的理由的有效證明文件,此項證明文件應由事件發生地區的公證機構出具。按照事件對履行合同影響的程度,由雙方協商決定是否解除合同,或者部分免除履行合同的責任,或者延期履行合同。
原譯文:
should either of the parties of the contract be prevented from executing the contract by force majeure, such as earthquake, typhoon, flood, fire and war and other unforeseen events, and their happenings and consequences are unpreventable and unavoidable, the presented party shall notify the other party by a written notice without any delay, and within 15 days thereafter provide the detailed information of the events and a valid document for evidence issued by the relevant public notary organization for explaining the reason of its inability to execute or delay the execution of all or part of the contract. both parties shal1,through consultations, decide whether to terminate the contract or to exempt the part of obligations for implementation of the contract or whether to delay the execution of the contract according to the effects of the events on the performance of the contract.
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