法律英语情态动词的翻译

1、第六章 法律英语情态动词的翻译教学目标：掌握常用情态动词在法律英语文本中的译法。课堂讲练：概述法律英语中使用频率最高的情态动词有“SHALL”、“MAY”与“MUST”三个。一、“SHALL”在法律英语中的译法上述三个最常用的情态动词中，最常用也最难翻译的是“SHALL”，其意义多种多样，如：1）、第一人称连用，表示“预期与决心”(1) According to the public opinion poll, I shall win this election.(2) I shall return,2）、与第二人称连用，表示义务，有非常强烈的修辞意味 (3) You shall not ki

2、ll.3）、表示义务、职责的意义(4) You shall do exactly as the doctor says.法律英语当中，“SHALL”的使用范围从第一人称传递到第二、三人称甚至无生命的事务上，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. 除了表示义务、职责的含义外，还吸取了“SHALL”在圣经中的神圣色彩，使法律规定和其他法律文本具有崇高庄严的意味。但在翻译成中文时，至今没有定译。1、 现有翻译方法1）、翻译成“应”、“应当”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.（根据本法相关规定，有限责任公司和股份有限公司的设立、变更及终止应完善公司注册手续。）（2）、The seller shall deliver the goods in accordance with the contracted quality requirements.卖方应依据合同约定货物质量交付货物。（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）、翻译成“须”、“必须”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）、翻译成“将”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）、翻译成“可”例4、Quantity shall be subject to a variation of 5% plus or minus at the Sellers option.5）不译例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.对现有翻译方法的设问：在法律翻译实践当中，对“SHALL”的翻译多种多样，可能缘于中文当中与之含义近似的词汇丰富，但如此多的译名都是对“SHALL”的准确汉译吗？2、“SHALL”在法律英语中应有的意义在法律英语当中，“SHALL”的意义仍然有三个，即表示义务或职责、表示修辞（即“SHALL“没有实际含义，仅仅表示神圣、庄严的法律色彩）、表示将来时。1）、表示义务（或职责）含义时的翻译表示该含义时，“SHALL“与”MUST”在起草或翻译法律文本时存在相似处，都有要求他方做或不做某行为的强制意味，在法律法规类法律文本中，被称为义务性规范。根据实践当中权威译文的用词规律，可以认为，表强制意味

9、由强到弱，依次为“必须“、”应当“、”须“、”应“。将”SHALL“翻译成“必须“应能成立，但在实践中，更多场合下是用“MUST”来对应“必须“。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.综上，有

11、鉴于目前法律翻译实践与权威法律文本对“MUST“、“SHALL”的翻译，应由“MUST“表示“必须”，表示语气最强的强制，而“SHALL”则表示一般性强制，翻译为“须、应当、应”。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“何种情况下翻译成”须“，何种情况下翻译成”应“，或”应当“，实践当中，凡正式程度很高的法律法规，尤其是国家一级的法律法规或命令，通常翻译为”应当“，在效力层次稍低的地方法规规章、普通协议、合同类法律文本中，多使用”须“、”应“，两者在强制性上也有不同，前者强于后者，译者可视需要选择。2）、表示修辞（即“SHALL“没有实际含义，仅仅表示

13、神圣、庄严的法律色彩） 设问：怎样判定“SHALL”表示一般的强制，还是无实际意义，表示修辞？ 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.小结：可见，判定“SHALL”表示一般的强制，还是无实际意义，表示修辞的方法，可以用“MUST”或者“BE

14、 REQUIRED TO”来替代“SHALL”，看看语义是否通顺，以确定“SHALL“的使用是否表示强制的义务或职责。或者反其道行之，将”SHALL“去掉，看看没有”SHALL“的情况下，句子是否意义不变。以该两种方法在上述例句中验证，可以知道“SHALL”仅仅表示修辞，不能翻译成“须“或”应当“等。所以，不能见到“SHALL”就不问青红皂白翻译成“应当”或“须”，当其仅仅含修辞意味时，应略去不译。具体而言，下列情况下，“SHALL” 含修辞意味，略去不译：（1）、在立法文件中，因法律效力通常恒定不变（CONSTANTLY SPEAKING），要求广大民众在较长时间较大地域内遵守，法律条文在表

15、达上，也就要求神圣、庄严，需要借助“SHALL”来表达。例9、The homes and other premises of PRC residents shall be inviolable.（2）、当“SHALL”之后所跟的动词本身就能表达权利、义务，或者为“SHALL加上表达权利、义务词汇的系表结构“时。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类似结构还有：shall have the rightpowerjurisdiction/obligation of-; shall be responsible for; shall be liable to; shall be obliged to等。3）、表示将来，即译成“将“该译法在立法文本，如法律法规当中非常罕见，原因如前所述，法律效力是长期恒定的，要求民众现在、将来都严格遵守，有时在法律法规中使用SHALL“，只是修辞效果，以获得庄严神圣色彩，如例5（2）。但是在合同文本中，由于合同效力期间短于法律，而且涉及的总是在未来一段时间合同各方即将做

19、的事，所以，“SHALL”在合同中使用，表示合同方在合同签立后将享有的权利或履行的义务。正如双方在签字盖章后会说：“合同已经签定，那么我方将做这件事，你方将做那件事情”，这听上去似乎要比说“你方应该做这件事，我方应该做那件事情”更合表达习惯。所以，例3中“SHALL”翻译成“将”应属合理，但也可翻译成“则”，或干脆省略不译。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”的含义及翻译（1）、“SHALL NOT或“SHALL”其他否定方式在法律英语中，主要翻译为“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）、有时，“SHALL”的否定式依据上下文文意而定。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”的在法律英语中的翻译1、“MAY”在法律英语中通常具有三种含义，首先，可以表达“被授权、被许可”的意思，翻译成“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”，但该用法不多见。3、“MAY”偶尔表示强制意味，与“SHALL”同义，但更为少见。4、“MAY NOT”及其他否定形式的翻译 “MAY NOT”以及“NO/NEITHER-MAY”等形式在法律英语中也翻译成“不得”。例14、（1）The Contractor may not sub-let the whole of the Works. （2