摘 要:本文就法律文件用词精确这一特点,探讨中英这类文件时经常遇到的近义和同义词问题,用实例印证,指出如何理解这些词,并根据法律用语要求传意精确的特点,如何选用文的词语,以保证入语与原语具有对等的法律含意和功能。
关键词:近义和同义词;法律文件;入语;原语
    abstract: this article discusses the importance of the diction of nglish words of similar meanings and synonyms in the translation of legal documents from chinese into nglish, and, by analyzing a sampling of  translated legal clauses, tries to point out that correct nglish wording is essential to the total transmission of their meaning in relation to their legal functions in both source and translated languages.
    key words: words of similar meanings and synonyms, legal documents, translated language, source language
    随着我国入世,法律文件的研究已成为工作者的一项重要任务。wWw.11665.Com我们不仅要把国际的法律文本成中文,使我们能了解熟悉国际法律;我们还要把我国的涉外法规成英文,使世界了解中国。
    法律文件包括各类法律文献,如合同法、公司法、仲裁法等行政法规,以及合同双缔约的合同文本,合资企业的章程等。要做好这类文件的中英,首先要研究这两种语言在法律文件中的特点。法律语言自成体系,有自己个性与特点,它要求准确、规、鲜明,并有自身专业用语,自成一家的语言结构。掌握原语及入语的上述特点,是好法律文件的根本。
    用词准确是法律文件的特点之一,法律文件的权威性就是通过这点显示出来的,所以文要保证入语准确无误地表达出原语法律文件中的真含义。因此法律文件英时,英语词汇的选择,尤显重要。选词时要考虑到近义和同义词的区分,单复数的不同含义,还要注意到中英词汇广义、狭义、具体意义和抽象意义的不同之处。本文凭借一些例子,探讨见诸法律文件中这类英语近义和同义词的确用法,以确保入语的准确性。
    .     关于request 和 require的区别
    例:
    人民法院有权要求当事人提供或者补充证据。
    原:
    a people’s court shall have the authority to request the parties
    to provide or supplement evidence.
    英语表示“要求”这个词大致有个,即ask, request, require。 ask为泛指,request和 require为特指。request表示make a request,所以 request (sb to do sth) 是“请求(某人做某事)”,是下对上的要求;而require表示order, demand, 是“命令,要求”之意,指上对下的要求,比如法律条款对当事人的要求,业主对雇员的要求。此句中人民法院对当事人的要求,当然是require;文使用request不准确。此句可改为:
    a people’s court shall have the authority to require the parties to provide or supplement evidence.
    .关于legal,lawful 和legitimate的区别
    例:
   

公司职工依法组织工会,开展工会活动,维护职工的合法
    权益。
    原:
    the staff and workers of a company organize a trade union
    in accordance with the law to carry out union activities and protect
    the lawful rights and interests of the staff and workers.
    原文的“维护职工的合法权益”意为“维护职工的合法当权益”,因此文用lawful欠准确,应为“legitimate”。
    关于“合法的”,英文中有三个词“legal,lawful 和legitimate,”它们意思很近,但有差别。“legal”按《牛津现代高级辞典》,意为:connected with, in accordance with, authorized or required by the law (法律上的, 合法的,法律承认的,法律要求的,法定的。),它强调 “合乎国家式颁布的法律的,或经法律许可的”。例如:“诉讼过程”应为the course of legal proceedings,即法定程序,所谓“法定”是指“合乎国家式颁布的”,所以“法律行为”是legal act,“法定地址”是legal address,“法定代理人”是legal agent,;“司法协助”是legal assistance,“法人”是legal entity,“法律事务”是legal business,“法律效力”是legal effect,“法律效用”是legal effectiveness,“法定财产”是legal estate,等。
    “lawful” 意为allowed by law;according to law(合法的,法定的),是强调“合理合法的”,意为“合乎或不违反国家的法律、教会的戒律或道德的标准”,与“legal, legitimate”有差别。 例如:“合法行为”是lawful action,“合法政党”是lawful party,“合法财产”是lawful property,“合法席位”是lawful seat,“合法婚姻”是lawful wedlock,等。
    “legitimate” 意为lawful, regular, reasonable,(合法的,规的,合理的,可说明为当的) ,是强调既是合法的,又是当的,指根据法律、公认权威与准则为当的。例如:“合法防卫,当防卫”是legitimate defence,“合法的自由,当的自由”是legitimate freedom,“合法收入,当收入”是legitimate income,“合法的宗教活动”是legitimate religious activities,等。准此,原文的“职工的合法权益”应理解为“合法当权益”,文中lawful rights and interests of the staff and workers应改为legitimate rights and interests of the staff and workers。又,原系叙事,而原文是法律规定,含义大有出入,所以全句可改为:
    the staff and workers of a company may, in accordance with the law, organize a trade union to carry out union activities and protect the legitimate rights and interests of the staff and workers.
    .     关于formulate和enact的区别:
    例:
    为了发展对外贸易,维护对外贸易秩序,促进社会主义市
    场经济的健康发展,制定本法。
    原:
&nb

sp;   this law is formulated with a view to developing the foreign
    trade, maintaining the foreign trade order and promoting a healthy
    development of the socialist market economy.
    “制定”为formulated不十分准确。目前国内法律文件中,凡提及“制定法律”一般用此词,各文件相互参照,似乎formulate已成为惯用法。根据《牛津现代高级英文辞典》定义,formulate意为express clearly and exactly,即明确表达,比如formulate one’s thoughts / a doctrine(明确表达思想或宗旨)。法律英语中表示“制定法律”,应用动词enact。按上述辞典定义,enact意为make (a law);decree, ordain(制定(法律),颁令,规定)。比如,“制定法律”应为enact a law,“制定条文”是enact clauses;其名词enactmen
t,也有“制定,规定,颁布,通过,法令,法规”等意。比如,enactment of law(制定法律,法的制定)。为顾及习惯用法并按照英文法律文件的语言特点,采用同义词连用,此句可改为:
    this law is formulated and enacted in order to develop the foreign trade, maintain the foreign trade order and promote a healthy development of the socialist market economy.
    .关于terms和clause的区别;in reasonable ways和in a reasonable manner的区别
    例:
    采用格式条款订立合同的,提供格式条款的一应当遵
    循公平原则确定当事人之间的权利和义务,并采取合理的
    式请对注意免除或者限制其责任的条款,按照对的要求,
    对该条款予以说明。
    原:
    where standard terms are adopted in concluding a contract,
    the party which supplies the standard terms shall define the rights
    and obligations between the parties abiding by the principle of
    fairness, request the other party to note the exclusion or restriction
    of its liabilities in reasonable ways, and explain the standard terms
    according to the requirement of the other party.
    评:此段文有多处用词不当的地。
    原文的“格式条款”,不能直接按字面出。中文的“条款”一词有两种含义,一是表示“条件、条款”,意为“规定”,二是表示合同法律文件中某一具体条款,例如第几条款,这里的“格式条款”应该属于后一种,因为合同有“格式条款”与“非格式条款”两种,而不是“规定”。因此,“格式条款”不能成 “standard terms”。 terms (pl) 意为conditions, provisions,比如“根据合同条件条款”我们应成:in accordance with the terms, conditio

ns and provisions of the contract。
    本条文里的“格式条款”应成  “standard clauses”。clause意为(legal) complete paragraph in an agreement, or legal document(法律),即“合同协议,法律文件的条款。”所以“合同第条款”应成clause of the contract。
    原文中的“合理的式”成 “in reasonable ways”不妥。way一般表示“ method”法,有时也表示 “condition, state, degree,(情形,状态及程度),比如“大规模地”可成in a big way。“合理的式”应成 “in a reasonable manner”。 manner 表示“式”(可数,通常作单数),比如“以这种式”可成“in this manner”。
    此句可改为:
    where standard clauses are adopted in concluding and entering into a contract, the party supplying the standard clauses shall, under the principle of fairness, define the rights and obligations between the parties thereto, ask the other party, in a reasonable manner, to note the clause on the exclusion or restriction of its liabilities, and explain the standard clauses in accordance with the requirement of the other party.
    .关于revoke和rescind的区别
    例:
    合同无效或者被撤销后,因该合同取得的财产,应当予
    以返还。
    原:
    the property acquired as a result of a contract shall be returned
    after the contract is confirmed to be null and void or has been revoked.
    原文的“被撤销”为 has been revoked,欠准确,应为rescind。按《牛津现代高级双解辞典》定义,revoke意为repeal, cancel, withdraw (a decree, consent, permission, etc),即“废止,撤销,取消;宣告(命令,同意,允许等)无效”,例如“取消决定”可成revoke a decision,“撤销委托”可成revoke commission,“吊销执照”可成revoke a licence。
    rescind意为legally repeal, annual, cancel (a law, contract, etc)即“(法律)废止,撤销(法规,合约等)”,例如“取消合约” 可成rescind an agreement,“废除法律”可为rescind a law.“废除不合理的规章”可为rescind the unreasonable rules,“取消判决”可为rescind a judgment。 
    根据上述定义,本句可改为:
    the property acquired by either party as a result of a contract shall be returned to the other party after the contract is confirmed to be null and void or has been rescind

ed.
    .关于reject和refuse的用法;“负责任的人”与“负责人”的区别
    例:
    合同生效后,当事人不得因姓名、名称的变更或者法定代
    表人、负责人、承办人的变更而不履行合同义务。
    原:
    after a contract becomes effective, the parties may not reject to
    perform the obligations of the contract because of modification of the
    title or name of the parties, or change of the statutory representative,
    the responsible person or the executive person of the parties.
    原文中的“不得…….而不履行合同义务”为 “may not reject to perform the obligations of the contract”,是误,应将reject改为refuse。按《牛津现代高级英文辞典》,reject法律上意为refuse to accept即“拒绝,不接受,驳回”。比如,“不受理申诉”可为reject a complaint,“驳回证据”可为reject (a) proof,“驳回上诉”可为reject an appeal。refuse意为show unwillingness to accept (something offered),“拒绝,拒受,拒给,不愿”等意。例如,“不准保释;拒绝保释”可为refuse bail;“拒绝履行”可成refuse to perform,“拒绝查帐”可为refuse inspection of books,“抗税”可为refuse to pay tax。
    原文中的“负责人”成responsible person不妥。 responsible指“负有职责”,“有责任感”,“可靠”,与“负责人”不是一回事。例如:isn’t he too young for such a responsible job? (让他负责如此重要的职责,他是否太年轻了?);又如:alice is a very responsible baby-sitter. (阿莉丝看小孩很负责任。);give the job to a responsible man. (把工作交给负责任的人);betty is a responsible young lady.(贝蒂是个有责任感的姑娘。)

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