傅伟良：文体与法律翻译（5）

2）句子结构的理解与翻译

Skills of Translation

法律英语的句子结构以长句为主，往往出现从句套从句的现象，一个长句包含了一连环的若干个从句，中间还有插入语。翻译好这样的长句，主要采用“切割法”，即在原文句子中的主从句联接处、连词处、关系代词处切断。翻译时，首先要重理解原文，要耐心读懂长句，分析长句中各意群的关系，然后按意群，并按其逻辑关系，译成汉语分句，使译入语层次分明，意思连贯，语言通顺，逻辑性强。

例1：

原文：

   Now the Condition of the above-written Guarantee is such that if the Contractor shall duly perform and observe all the terms provisions conditions and stipulations of the said Contract on the Contractor’s part to be performed and observed in accordance with the true purport intent and meaning thereof or if on default by the Contractor the Guarantor shall satisfy and discharge the damages sustained by the Employer thereby up to the amount of the above-written Guarantee then this obligation shall be null and void but otherwise shall be and remain in full force and effect but no alteration in terms of the said Contractor or in the extent or nature of the Works to be executed, completed and defects in the Works remedied thereunder and no allowance of time by the Employer of the Engineer under the said Contract nor any forbearance or forgiveness in or in respect of any matter or thing concerning the said Contract of the part of the Employer or the said Engineer shall in any way release the Guarantor from any liability under the above-written Guarantee.

Notes:

1)这句话由170多个词构成，中间只有了一逗号，由if, or, but 等连词把几层意思连成一个整体。为了便于分析、阐述，现将原句切分成几部分，简称各部分为A、B、C、D。

2)句子的A部分：Now the Condition of the above-written Guarantee is such that, 是句子的主要部分，比较简单，除above-written及such that为法律英语用词外，其它部分与普通英语表达别无两样。在英语里用定冠词the 已有限定作用，限定Guarantee，但法律语言为了更明确限定Guarantee，又以above-written分词短语作强调限定。Such也是进一步限定that引起的标语从句。在翻译时，应把上述限定的语气译出来，可译成：“上述保证书”，“规定如下”。

3)B部分即第一个if从句：if the Contractor shall duly perform and observe all the terms provisions conditions and stipulations of the said Contract on the Contractor’s part to be performed and observed in accordance with the true purport intent and meaning thereof，句中shall是法律英语用词，在这里表明主语the Contractor应尽责任。句中又以perform and observe两个并列动词，对主语行为职责规定的非常清楚，在翻译时，也要把其含义译出来，可译成：“应切实履行并遵守”。句子的后半部分以of the said Contract来限制terms provisions conditions and stipulations后，又补以on the Contractor’s part to be performed and observed把责任限定到合同中规定的承包人一方所要履行和遵守的所有条款、条件及规定，继而又以in accordance with the true purport intent and meaning thereof明确提出承包人履行这些条款、条件及规定的根据。这样就以三个介词短语和一个不定式短语把前后两部分严密组织在一起，把承包人对于合同应承担的责任作为此保证书有效的一个条件讲得清清楚楚，翻译时，应注意保证对原文文体的适应性原则，译好上述三个短语的严密结构，不必苛求短句。句中的thereof为法律英语用词，意为of the Contract。

4)C部分原文是：or if on default by the Contractor the Guarantor shall satisfy and discharge the damages sustained by the Employer thereby up to the amount of the above-written Guarantee then this obligation shall be null and void but otherwise shall be and remain in full force and effect，这部分以or if引出另一种可能性，如果承包人不执行所规定的条款如何？则保证人应负有赔偿业主损失的责任。原文在阐述这一层意思时，既简明又严密。仅用on default就省去了条件从句，接着对于赔偿金额以up to the amount of the above-written Guarantee给予明确规定，使违约者无可抵赖，也无从讨价还价，以保证书上的数目为准。后又接then引出赔偿后，保证书何去何从？以shall be null and void这样一个法律用语来宣告保证书对于责任保证作用已无效。然后，又以but otherwise假设出另一种相反的情况，也就是同一问题的另一个方面。此部分语言十分精炼，以otherwise代替了一个完整的条件从句，主句的主语也省略，以be 和remain来强调保证书具有的全部效力。翻译此段时应注意译文语言的逻辑关系，以通顺的汉语来表达原文的含义，达到“雅”的程度，可译成：或者如果承包人违约，则保证人应赔偿业主因此而蒙受的损失，直至到达上述保证金额，届时，本保证书所承担的义务即告终止，否则保证书仍保持完全效力。

5)    D部分的原文是：but no alteration in terms of the said Contractor or in the extent or nature of the Works to be executed, completed and defects in the Works remedied thereunder and no allowance of time by the Employer of the Engineer under the said Contract nor any forbearance or forgiveness in or in respect of any matter or thing concerning the said Contract of the part of the Employer or the said Engineer shall in any way release the Guarantor from any liability under the above-written Guarantee.

D部分较长，以but引出一个并列句。句子长主要是由于对三个并列主语的修饰、限制部分较多，如果简而言之的话，原句可以缩简为：

no alteration and no allowance nor any forbearance or forgiveness shall release the Guarantor form any liability.

这样分解，很快看清句子结构，弄明白这一部分的主要内容，但作为合同文件，必须把主语的三个部分的事项、范围、程度规定得一清二楚。所以三个主语都分别以若干个介词短评和不定式短语加以限定，且用no的名词否定形式比用动词的否定式埸具有法律的权威性，谓语部分又以“in, any, way”加强力度，以under the above-written Guarantee限定职丙范围。原文中B、C、D三部分把A部分的condition条件作了严密的阐述。监于一条款文需要就某个问题讲清楚，要排除不必要的情况，限定所需的情况，这就需要有许多起限定作用的介词短语，分词短语、起起排除或附加作用的插入语、假设各种情况发生的从句。

归纳上述分析，句子结构如同房子结构，弄不清一座大楼的结构，就会在楼里转来转去出不来，所以掌握法律文件的句子结构，要理出句子结构首先要找出主句的主语谓语部分，先去掉与之相关的各种限制短语或从句，再找出并列句或主从句之间的连接词，把并列部分或从属部分进行适当切割，再对每一切割部分进行上述过程的分解，就可缕顺各部分之间的关系。在这样基础上进行汉译，译入语的质量就能保证。

译文：

   兹将履行上述书面保证书的条件规定如下：如果承包人应切实履行并遵守所签署的上述合同中规定的承包人一方按合同的真实旨意、意向和含义所应履行和遵守的所有条款、条件及规定或者，如果承包人违约，则保证人应赔偿业主因此而蒙受的损失，直至到达上述保证金额，届时，本保证书所承担的义务即告终止，否则保证书仍保持完全效力，但所签合同条款的改变或对工程的施工、完成及根据合同修补其缺陷的性质和范围的任何变更，以及业主或工程师根据上述合同给予的时间宽限，或上述工程师方面对上述合同有关事宜所做的任何容忍或宽恕，均不能解除保证人所承担的上述保证书规定的义务。

例2：

原文：

   The seats of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second class at the expiration of the fourth year, and of the third class at the expiration of the sixth year, so that one-third may be chosen every second year; and if vacancies happen by resignation, or otherwise, during the recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such vacancies.

Notes:

1）此句有主句、有分句、又有并列，在各分句中有从句，插入语，省略句型等，似乎很难翻，但从总体来看只是一句并列句，按其逻辑关系逐一译出，并不难。

2）原文“The seats of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second class at the expiration of the fourth year, and of the third class at the expiration of the sixth year, so that one-third may be chosen every second year;”为该句第一部分。其中“of the second class at the expiration of the fourth year, and of the third class at the expiration of the sixth year,”为省略部分，分别省略了“The seats of the Senators”和“shall be vacated”，为使法律条文表述清楚，在中译英时，应把原语省略部分译出，因此应译成：“第二级参议员应在他们第四年任期满时将其席位空出，第三级参议员应在他们第六年任期满时将其席位空出”。句中的“so that one-third may be chosen every second year;”是由so that引导的表示结果的状语从句，应译成：“这样每隔两年应选举三分之一的参议员”， may与shall一样是法律英语用词，也表示“应该”、“可以”，但力度比shall弱。

3）原文“and if vacancies happen by resignation, or otherwise, during the recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such vacancies.” 为该句第二部分，是一句主从句，有if引导的条件从句，主句中还有一句由which引导的定语从句，按照长句“切割法”的翻译方法，把主从句分成三个分句译出，可译成：“如果因辞职或其它原因发生参议员席位空缺，又时处州立法机构休会期间，州立法机构执行官可临时指任席位，其任期至州立法机构召开下一次会议，届时州立法机构应正式弥补上述空缺。”。“the Executive thereof”意为“the Executive of the Legislature”之意。Otherwise是apart from that 之意，因此译成：“又…..”.

译文：

   第一级参议员应在他们第二年任期满时将其席位空出，第二级参议员应在他们第四年任期满时将其席位空出，第三级参议员应在他们第六年任期满时将其席位空出，这样每隔两年应选举三分之一的参议员。如果因辞职或其它原因发生参议员席位空缺，又时处州立法机构休会期间，州立法机构执行官可临时指任席位，其任期至州立法机构召开下一次会议，届时州立法机构应正式弥补上述空缺。

例3：

原文：

   In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve on the Vice-President, and the Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation, or inability, both of the President and Vice-President, declaring what officer shall then act as President, and such officer shall act accordingly until the disability be removed or a President shall be elected.

Notes:

1）此句从总体来看是一句并列句，在各分句中有主从句及从句中的并列句。按照长句“切割法”的翻译方法，按各分句从句的逻辑关系逐一译出，并不难译。

2）原句In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve on the Vice-President,为本句的第一部分。句中“in case of ”与“in case that”为法律英语常用的词组，意为“如果”， “in case of ”用于短语，“in case that”用从句。例如：“In case that the Supplier fails to deal with such claim or conduct such proceedings, the Owner may do so at the cost and risk of the Supplier in accordance with the above-mentioned terms and provisions of indemnify.”（如供应人不能处理索赔或诉讼，业主可以自行处理，根据上述赔偿的规定应由供应人承担费用和风险。）。句中the same在法律英语中常常用作代词，是指上面提及的事，避免重复，这里是指：the powers and duties of the said office，在英译中时，为使法律条文所表达的意思明确无误，应把the same所代的含义译出，即：“总统的权力与职责”。句中devolve on是动词，意为（of work, duties）be transferred or passed to sb ，为译入文行文的需要，在英译中时，可以进行词义转换，把原语的动词转译成译入语的名词。此句可译成：“如果总统免职、死亡、辞职或无能履行总统的权力与职责，应由副总统代理行使总统的权力与职责。”。

3）原句中and the Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation, or inability, both of the President and Vice-President, declaring what officer shall then act as President, and such officer shall act accordingly until the disability be removed or a President shall be elected.为句子的第二部分。该部包含两层意思，第一层：the Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation, or inability, both of the President and Vice-President, declaring what officer shall then act as President,句中provide for为关键词，意为establish the legal basis or authority for sth to be done later，即“作出具体规定，提供法律依据”之意。这一层中还有一个分词短语，并列来修饰主语the Congress。

第二层：and such officer shall act accordingly until the disability be removed or a President shall be elected.为复合句。句中the disability一词在英译中时，应将其深层含义译出，该词是指“上述提及的免职、死亡、辞职或无能履行情况”。句中a President一词，根据上下文，应译成“新总统”。因此，句子的第二部分可译成：“国会可依法对总统和副总统的免职、死亡、辞职或无法履行的情况作出具体规定（提供法律依据），并宣布届时由哪个官员来代理行使总统的权力与职责，在上述无能履行情况结束前或新总统选举产生前，该官员应相应地代理行使权力与职责。”

译文：

   如果总统免职、死亡、辞职或无能履行总统的权力与职责，应由副总统代理行使总统的权力与职责。国会可依法对总统和副总统的免职、死亡、辞职或无法履行的情况作出具体规定（提供法律依据），并宣布届时由哪个官员来代理行使总统的权力与职责，在上述无能履行情况结束前或新总统选举产生前，该官员应相应地代理行使权力与职责。

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