法律英語情態(tài)動詞的翻譯

1、第六章 法律英語情態(tài)動詞的翻譯教學(xué)目標(biāo)：掌握常用情態(tài)動詞在法律英語文本中的譯法。課堂講練：概述法律英語中使用頻率最高的情態(tài)動詞有“SHALL”、“MAY”與“MUST”三個。一、“SHALL”在法律英語中的譯法上述三個最常用的情態(tài)動詞中，最常用也最難翻譯的是“SHALL”，其意義多種多樣，如：1）、第一人稱連用，表示“預(yù)期與決心”(1) According to the public opinion poll, I shall win this election.(2) I shall return,2）、與第二人稱連用，表示義務(wù)，有非常強烈的修辭意味 (3) You shall not ki

2、ll.3）、表示義務(wù)、職責(zé)的意義(4) You shall do exactly as the doctor says.法律英語當(dāng)中，“SHALL”的使用范圍從第一人稱傳遞到第二、三人稱甚至無生命的事務(wù)上，比如：The company shall enjoy the right to the entire property of the legal person formed by the investments of the shareholders and shall possesses civil rights and bear the civil liabilities in acco

3、rdance with the law. 除了表示義務(wù)、職責(zé)的含義外，還吸取了“SHALL”在圣經(jīng)中的神圣色彩，使法律規(guī)定和其他法律文本具有崇高莊嚴的意味。但在翻譯成中文時，至今沒有定譯。1、 現(xiàn)有翻譯方法1）、翻譯成“應(yīng)”、“應(yīng)當(dāng)”例1、（1）、Incorporation, alteration and termination of a limited liability company and a joint stock limited company shall complete the company registration procedures in accordance with

4、 the provisions of these Regulations.（根據(jù)本法相關(guān)規(guī)定，有限責(zé)任公司和股份有限公司的設(shè)立、變更及終止應(yīng)完善公司注冊手續(xù)。）（2）、The seller shall deliver the goods in accordance with the contracted quality requirements.賣方應(yīng)依據(jù)合同約定貨物質(zhì)量交付貨物。（3）、Where the Dealer (Borrower) has not fulfilled the obligations under Art.2 hereof, the Seller shall refun

5、d the Payment for the repossessed Goods directly to the Lender.2）、翻譯成“須”、“必須”例2、（1）、The date of the Bill of Lading shall be accepted as a conclusive evidence of the date of shipment.（2）、Tenant shall pay for all utilities and /or services supplied to the premises.3）、翻譯成“將”例3、(1)、Where the Buyer fails

6、 to notify full details of the aforesaid defected goods within the specific period, the Buyer shall be deemed to have waived his right to file any claim.（2）、In the case that the Buyers such appointment does not arrive in time, the Sellers inspection shall be final and binding upon the parties concer

7、ned.4）、翻譯成“可”例4、Quantity shall be subject to a variation of 5% plus or minus at the Sellers option.5）不譯例5、（1）、The parties shall, pursuant to law, have the right to enter into a contract on their own free will ,and no unit or person may unlawfully interfere.（2）、All people shall be equal before the la

8、w.對現(xiàn)有翻譯方法的設(shè)問：在法律翻譯實踐當(dāng)中，對“SHALL”的翻譯多種多樣，可能緣于中文當(dāng)中與之含義近似的詞匯豐富，但如此多的譯名都是對“SHALL”的準(zhǔn)確漢譯嗎？2、“SHALL”在法律英語中應(yīng)有的意義在法律英語當(dāng)中，“SHALL”的意義仍然有三個，即表示義務(wù)或職責(zé)、表示修辭（即“SHALL“沒有實際含義，僅僅表示神圣、莊嚴的法律色彩）、表示將來時。1）、表示義務(wù)（或職責(zé)）含義時的翻譯表示該含義時，“SHALL“與”MUST”在起草或翻譯法律文本時存在相似處，都有要求他方做或不做某行為的強制意味，在法律法規(guī)類法律文本中，被稱為義務(wù)性規(guī)范。根據(jù)實踐當(dāng)中權(quán)威譯文的用詞規(guī)律，可以認為，表強制意味

9、由強到弱，依次為“必須“、”應(yīng)當(dāng)“、”須“、”應(yīng)“。將”SHALL“翻譯成“必須“應(yīng)能成立，但在實踐中，更多場合下是用“MUST”來對應(yīng)“必須“。例6、（1）、In consideration of the loan available under this Agreement, you must undertake that such representations and warranties as follows are true at the date thereof and will remain true through the term hereof.（2）、-,any enti

10、ty or individual exploiting the patent of another must conclude a written licensing contract with the patentee and pay the patentee a fee for the exploitation of its or his patent.（3）、-The entity holding the patent right on a job-related invention-creation shall reward this inventor or designer.綜上，有

11、鑒于目前法律翻譯實踐與權(quán)威法律文本對“MUST“、“SHALL”的翻譯，應(yīng)由“MUST“表示“必須”，表示語氣最強的強制，而“SHALL”則表示一般性強制，翻譯為“須、應(yīng)當(dāng)、應(yīng)”。例7、（1）、Any transfer of rights by a creditor shall be notified to the debtor.（2）、In addition to the purchase price, Buyer shall pay Seller the amount of all government taxes, and other charges ，costs and expense

12、s that Seller may be required to pay or bear in respect of the production, sale or transportation of any goods hereunder .至于”SHALL“何種情況下翻譯成”須“，何種情況下翻譯成”應(yīng)“，或”應(yīng)當(dāng)“，實踐當(dāng)中，凡正式程度很高的法律法規(guī)，尤其是國家一級的法律法規(guī)或命令，通常翻譯為”應(yīng)當(dāng)“，在效力層次稍低的地方法規(guī)規(guī)章、普通協(xié)議、合同類法律文本中，多使用”須“、”應(yīng)“，兩者在強制性上也有不同，前者強于后者，譯者可視需要選擇。2）、表示修辭（即“SHALL“沒有實際含義，僅僅表示

13、神圣、莊嚴的法律色彩） 設(shè)問：怎樣判定“SHALL”表示一般的強制，還是無實際意義，表示修辭？ 例8、（1）、The parties shall, pursuant to law, have the right to enter into a contract on their own free will ,and no unit or person may unlawfully interfere.（2）、All people shall be equal before the law.小結(jié)：可見，判定“SHALL”表示一般的強制，還是無實際意義，表示修辭的方法，可以用“MUST”或者“BE

14、 REQUIRED TO”來替代“SHALL”，看看語義是否通順，以確定“SHALL“的使用是否表示強制的義務(wù)或職責(zé)?；蛘叻雌涞佬兄?，將”SHALL“去掉，看看沒有”SHALL“的情況下，句子是否意義不變。以該兩種方法在上述例句中驗證，可以知道“SHALL”僅僅表示修辭，不能翻譯成“須“或”應(yīng)當(dāng)“等。所以，不能見到“SHALL”就不問青紅皂白翻譯成“應(yīng)當(dāng)”或“須”，當(dāng)其僅僅含修辭意味時，應(yīng)略去不譯。具體而言，下列情況下，“SHALL” 含修辭意味，略去不譯：（1）、在立法文件中，因法律效力通常恒定不變（CONSTANTLY SPEAKING），要求廣大民眾在較長時間較大地域內(nèi)遵守，法律條文在表

15、達上，也就要求神圣、莊嚴，需要借助“SHALL”來表達。例9、The homes and other premises of PRC residents shall be inviolable.（2）、當(dāng)“SHALL”之后所跟的動詞本身就能表達權(quán)利、義務(wù)，或者為“SHALL加上表達權(quán)利、義務(wù)詞匯的系表結(jié)構(gòu)“時。例10、（1）、If Buyer fails to provide such L/C in Sellers favor as prescribed above, Seller shall have the option of reselling the contracted goods

16、to be delivered to Buyer or delaying any shipment or canceling any orders at any time on the Buyers account and risk.（2）、The manager shall be responsible to the board of directors and shall exercise the following functions and powers:-（3）、Party A shall, as the pledgee of the Goods hereunder, have th

17、e right to repossess the said Goods in the manner as Party A deem appropriate in case of any breach hereof by Party B.（4）、As the manager of the Pledge Property under this Agreement, Party C shall be obliged to store, maintain, manage and keep the same safe subject to the provisions hereof and the in

18、struction of Party A類似結(jié)構(gòu)還有：shall have the rightpowerjurisdiction/obligation of-; shall be responsible for; shall be liable to; shall be obliged to等。3）、表示將來，即譯成“將“該譯法在立法文本，如法律法規(guī)當(dāng)中非常罕見，原因如前所述，法律效力是長期恒定的，要求民眾現(xiàn)在、將來都嚴格遵守，有時在法律法規(guī)中使用SHALL“，只是修辭效果，以獲得莊嚴神圣色彩，如例5（2）。但是在合同文本中，由于合同效力期間短于法律，而且涉及的總是在未來一段時間合同各方即將做

19、的事，所以，“SHALL”在合同中使用，表示合同方在合同簽立后將享有的權(quán)利或履行的義務(wù)。正如雙方在簽字蓋章后會說：“合同已經(jīng)簽定，那么我方將做這件事，你方將做那件事情”，這聽上去似乎要比說“你方應(yīng)該做這件事，我方應(yīng)該做那件事情”更合表達習(xí)慣。所以，例3中“SHALL”翻譯成“將”應(yīng)屬合理，但也可翻譯成“則”，或干脆省略不譯。例11、Buyers receipt of any material delivered hereunder shall be an unqualified acceptance of, and a waiver by Buyer of any and all claims

20、 in respect of, such material unless Buyer gives Seller notice of claim within 15 days after such receipt.4）、“SHALL NOT”的含義及翻譯（1）、“SHALL NOT或“SHALL”其他否定方式在法律英語中，主要翻譯為“不得”。例11、（1）、The chairman of the foundation shall serve no more than 2 consecutive terms.（2）、Neither Party hereto shall assign this Ag

21、reement or any of its rights and interests hereunder without the other Partys prior written consent.（3）、The Borrower shall not change its scope or nature of business during the term of this Agreement without the Lenders written consent. （2）、有時，“SHALL”的否定式依據(jù)上下文文意而定。例12、（1）、The Buyer shall be deemed t

22、o have accepted the title of the Seller and shall not be entitled to raise any requisition or objection in respect of any of the aforesaid matters.（2）、If the Buyer fails to order any goods provided for under this contract, the Seller shall not be obliged subsequently to deliver such unordered goods.

23、二、“MAY”的在法律英語中的翻譯1、“MAY”在法律英語中通常具有三種含義，首先，可以表達“被授權(quán)、被許可”的意思，翻譯成“可”。例13、（1）、This Contract may be terminated as follows-. （2）、A creditor may transfer its rights under a contract in whole or part to a third party-.2、“MAY”可以表示“可能性”，但該用法不多見。3、“MAY”偶爾表示強制意味，與“SHALL”同義，但更為少見。4、“MAY NOT”及其他否定形式的翻譯 “MAY NOT”以及“NO/NEITHER-MAY”等形式在法律英語中也翻譯成“不得”。例14、（1）The Contractor may not sub-let the whole of the Works. （2