时间:2018-12-12 作者:英语课 分类:法律英语


英语课

  近义词重复使用

英美法规、法律文件(包括契约、遗嘱、信托协议等)中经常有一个句子中出现几个近义词并列的情况;在理解和翻译上造成棘手问题。在原来只需要一个词表达之处,经常连用几个近义词。这也是法律英语词汇的重要特征之一。近义词的使用可以分为求异型近义词和求同型近义词两种。

一、求异型近义词

这种类型的近义词着眼点在各近义词的意义差别部分。

例 1:In the course of interpreting or constructing the contract, …

该句中,interpret 与 construct 两词都有解释的意思。但 interpret 侧重于依文件起草背景来确定起草者真实意图的一种较自由的意图解释法,而construct 是指严格按字面意义进行解释的文意解释法。并列使用这一对近义词的目的是在其差别意处,谋求表达两者相异的意思部分。翻译时就不能拘泥于现成的英汉词典所列的汉语意项,而要使用能体现出差别对立的合适的中文词,这才是真正信实的译文。能体现二者差别的译文应为意图解释(interpret)和文意解释 (construct)。

例2:Any Crown Servant … solicits 2 or accepts any advantages shall be guilty of an offense 3

该句中的 solicit 1 与 accept 情况亦同,两字均有“接受”的意思,其差别点在于solicit 侧重于招致和勾引(别人的行贿),而accept 侧重于接受本身,所以能体现二者差别的译文应为“招引”(solicit)与“接受”(accept)。

求异型近义词在近义词中占主要地位,法律家使用这些有细微差别的词是为表达在法律上的不同意义,翻译时亦须传达原文想要表达的词间差异,方为信实的佳译。

二、求同型近义词

在法律语言中使用的近义词并不都是求异型的,因为英美法律的特殊历史背景,在英美法律语言中存在着一类很特殊的近义词类型,即“求同型近义词”。与求异型近义词相比,求同型词是少数,但对这一类近义词的理解却比求异型要复杂,对译者的要求也更高。

例 3:... Any such advantages as is mentioned in this Ordinance 4 is customary in any profession, trade, vocation 5 or calling.

该句中有 profession/trade/vocation/calling 四个近义词,这四个近义词既有意义重叠的部分,也有意义差异之处。

按照OED 的解释,“职业”是四词的共同义项:

Profession: Any calling or occupation by which a person habitual1y earns his living

Trade: Anything practiced for a livelihood 6.

Calling: Ordinary occupation, means by which livelihood is earned.

Vocation: One‘s ordinary occupation, business or profession.

这四个词也有差别义项。Profession 可特指神学界、法学界与医学界人士,有时亦指军界人士 (Applied 7 spec. to the three learned professions of divinity, law and medicine, also to the military occupation); Trade可特指商人与熟练的手艺人(Usual1y applied to a mercantile occupation and to a skilled handicraft);Calling 与Vocation 都曾有神职、神圣事业的意思,下面这个句子就应从此意思上理解:In some quarters, the missionary's life is regarded as a profession rather than a vocation.

例 3:The seller shall pay all the custom, duties, and tariffs 8 for export of the Equipment.

例句中的 custom, duties, and tariffs 也是求同型近义词,所以两个词表达了同一个意思——关税。

这种类型的近义词乍一看确是令人十分费解,因为这是英美法律语言中一个十分独特的语言现象,在英美其他领域的专业语言中似都不存在,而且在其他国家的法律语言里也没有类似现象。它存在的原因只能从英国法的历史上去寻找。



1 solicit
vi.勾引;乞求;vt.请求,乞求;招揽(生意)
  • Beggars are not allowed to solicit in public places.乞丐不得在公共场所乞讨。
  • We should often solicit opinions from the masses.我们应该经常征求群众意见。
2 solicits
恳请
  • They were planning to solicit funds from a number of organizations. 他们正计划向一些机构募集资金。
  • May I solicit your advice on a matter of some importance? 我有一件要事可以请教你吗? 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 offense
n.犯规,违法行为;冒犯,得罪
  • I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
  • His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。
4 ordinance
n.法令;条令;条例
  • The Ordinance of 1785 provided the first land grants for educational purposes.1785年法案为教育目的提供了第一批土地。
  • The city passed an ordinance compelling all outdoor lighting to be switched off at 9.00 PM.该市通过一条法令强令晚上九点关闭一切室外照明。
5 vocation
n.职业,行业
  • She struggled for years to find her true vocation.她多年来苦苦寻找真正适合自己的职业。
  • She felt it was her vocation to minister to the sick.她觉得照料病人是她的天职。
6 livelihood
n.生计,谋生之道
  • Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
  • My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。
7 applied
adj.应用的;v.应用,适用
  • She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
  • This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。
8 tariffs
关税制度; 关税( tariff的名词复数 ); 关税表; (旅馆或饭店等的)收费表; 量刑标准
  • British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
  • The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。
标签: 近义词
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