英语论文网

     文体指文章的写作风格, 有广义和狭义之分。前者指一种语言中各类文体, 如口语与书面语; 后者指文学文体, 包括个别作家的风格。研究翻译文体对等与否, 其目的在于观察和描述原语与目的语文体的语言特点是否对等。就英语语言而言, 它包括文学语言、科技语言、日常会话用语……各有千秋, 各有自身的特色。而法律英语语言的特色是准确、明晰、简练, 其文体与风格是严肃、庄重, 结构严谨, 具有规范性和公文性等特点。因此, 在英、汉法律互译中要力求做到文随其体, 确表 “法” 义。
   一、语言须简洁、准确
    莎士比亚有 “言贵简洁” 之说。法律语言尤贵简洁, 要求直截了当, 力求意义确切, 便于理解遵守。然而令人遗憾的是, 目前我们见到某些法律的正式英译文却颇有拖沓累赘、衍生歧义之弊, 从某种程度上说, 有损我立法之国际形象, 需引起有关方面的注意。就笔者浅见, 略举几例:例 1 A joint venture is encouraged to market its products outside China.Export products may bedistributed to foreign markets through the joint venture directly or through associated agencies, and they mayalso be distributed through China’ s foreign trade agencies.此译文臃肿、松散, 衍文多而横生枝节。拟译:A joint venture is encouraged to market its products outside China, either directly or indirectly throughits related agencies or China’ s foreign agencies.例 2 原文: 女职工违反国家有关计划生育规定的, 其劳动保护应当按照国家有关计划生育规定办理, 不适用本规定。原译:Labour protection of those women staff and workers that run counter to state stipulations concern-ing family planning should be treated according to State stipulations concerning family planning. The Regula-tions are thus inapplicable。
       很明显, 此译文冗赘笨拙, 让人读来颇生烦累。原文本来是一句完整的话(主语为 “本规定” , 谓语为“不适用” , 宾语为 “女职工违反国家有关计划生育规定” ) , 而译文却分为两句, 因而不能明朗地表达原文内涵。专家译为:These Regulations do not apply to any violation of state family- planning measures by a woman employeewhose labor protection is regulated by the said measures.
    二、文体须严肃、庄重
    法律语言的翻译是从法律源语到目的语的过程, 要求用最贴切、最自然的法律对等语再现源语的法律信息。法律语言的翻译较其他文体更具严肃性、准确性和逻辑性。请看例句:原文:The law holds that the individual is responsible for his acts. The law also indicates what is goodand right, and what may and should be done. It also indicates what is evil and wrong, and should not andmay not be done. The law further holds that what is evil and wrong is a crime and may not be done, and ifdone, renders the doer liable to punishment. The law also recognizes the principle that man has free will andthat, with certain exceptions, he exercises free will in commission of any crime that he may commit.译文 l: 法律认为公民应对自己的行为负责。法律还规定什么是美好的和正确的, 规范了哪些事是允许做或应该做的。同样, 法律规范了什么是邪恶的和错误的, 法律还进一步明确规定哪些邪恶的错误的事是不能做的犯罪行为, 如果某人做了这样的事, 那么该行为人就要受到惩罚。同样, 法律还承认这样一个原则, 每个公民除犯罪自由外都具有自由意志, 如果某人在各种违法活动中实施其自由意志, 那么他就可能触犯法律。译文 2: 法律规定人人应对自己的行为承担责任, 分清善良和正义, 规范了人们的行为准则; 法律还认为, 作孽枉法即是犯罪, 法不本论文由英语论文网 www.51lunwen.org整理提供可恕, 谁要以身试法, 必将受到严惩。法律所主张的原则是人人享有自由意志的权利, 同时也认为, 除特殊情况外, 人们的自由往往表现在因滥施自由意志而受到惩罚的行为上。从上述两例译文可见, 第一种译文语言显得松散, 句法不够严谨, 甚至有些口语化, 与严密的法律条文不吻合; 第二种译文用词严谨, 表述准确简练, 确能体现出法律的庄严。
     三、结构须严谨、规范
     当然, 法律文体有时在句式上也显得笨重、凝滞, 甚至臃肿, 即人们所称的 “官腔文体” 。为保持公函文体的规范性、庄严性和条理性, 汉、英翻译过程中常用比较正规甚至古朴的词句和句法。例 1 The Amendments to the US Constitution.Article XIV.Section l.All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subjected to the jurisdiction thereof,are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.No state shall make or enforce any lawwhich shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State depriveany person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdic-tion the equal protection of the laws.汉译: 第十四条一、凡出生或归化于合众国, 并受其管辖之人, 皆为合众国及其所居之州的公民。无论何州, 不得制定或施行剥夺合众国公民之特权或特免的法律; 亦不得于未经正当法律程序前, 使任何人丧失其生命、自由或财产; 并且对于该州管辖区内的任何人, 皆不得拒绝给予法律上平等的保护。例 2 《全国人