英语学习点滴(六)漫谈法律英语 On Legal English

英语学习点滴(六)漫谈法律英语 On Legal English

我曾签约几家翻译公司,其中有一家是莱芜译林翻译社,社长亓法斌是莱芜市获得CATTI英语二级笔译专业资格证书的第一人。亓社长身残志坚,留给我很深的印象。我第一次涉足法律英语,就是从接单翻译这家公司的材料开始的。请看,我摘录的其中的一句话:

Dragon agrees to indemnify and keep indemnified the Joint Venture from and against all claims, demands, actions, damages, costs, charges and expenses or other liabilities whatsoever that may be made, brought against, suffered, sustained or incurred by the Joint Venture (excluding those claims associated with indirect, remoted,unforeseeable or pure economic loss) as a result of or arising out of any negligent act or omission of Dragon in the course of its activities upon the Lee Steere Tenements.

这种复杂的长句,特殊的结构,看似认识却不知到底何所指的词汇,一下子让我懵了。后来,我学习了孙万彪的《英汉法律翻译教程》和《汉英法律翻译教程》后,才总算弄明白。

一、 法律英语的特点

法律文本属于庄重文本,是英语中正式程度最高的一种。具有特定的法律专业术语(例如:damages指损失赔偿费)),法律英语中用到的很多普通词汇往往具有专业特定含义(例如:prejudice指损害),还有许多古英语(例如:hereafter,hereof,thereby,therefore,thereafter,thereon,whereat,whereby等等)和外来词(例如:alibi指某人不在犯罪现场的申辩或证明)。而且,法律条规和文本中由于对中心词的限定过多,语法结构往往比较复杂,大句套小句,小句套分句。

二、 法律英语的学习方法

  1. 正确理解、使用专业术语

法律英语中词汇具有特定含义,例如:execution一词,与合同、文书、协定等连用时,根本不是“执行”,而是“签订”的意思,合同等的performance 才是合同的“执行、履行”。

Provided that 但是

Here/there/where+介词=介词+this/that/which or what

Hereto 表示to this Agreement (or Contact, Deed, etc.)

For the purpose of this Agreement 就是in this Agrement 的意思

As the case may be 视情况而定

Which occurs earlier 以两种情况下先发生的为准

Without prejudice to 在不损害某规定/情况下

According to, under, subject to, in accordance with, as per, as provided in, pursuant to, in compliance with 都表示 “依照,根据”

Attributable to, due to, owing to, by virtue of, in view of, because of, on account of, considering, in consideration of 都表示“因为”

Including but not limited to 与including, without limitation 以及including by way of illustration but not limitation 都表示“包括但不限于”

  1. 掌握固定的表达格式,直接仿效套用

法律文本涉及权利、义务关系,语言庄重、严密、逻辑性强,对原文的忠实是法律翻译特别强调的方面。因此,翻译法律文件主要采用直译的方法,运用固定的表达格式。

NOW THEREFORE, it is hereby agreed as below.

为此,双方约定如下:

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