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商务英语合同翻译的特点与技巧
Contract
与
Agreement
的有无区别
在英语
中，合同一般称为
Contract
，协议一般称为
Agreement
。
何谓“
C
ontract
”
?
1999
年中国《合同法》第二条对
contract
定义为：
A
contact
in
t
his
Law
refers
to
an
agreement
establishing,
modifying
and
terminating
the
civil
rights
and
obligations
between
subjects of equal footing, that is
,between natural persons, legal persons or other
organizations.
根
据这一定义，合同平等主体
之间设立的确定民事权利和义务的协议。
Steven H.
Gifts
编著的
“
Law Dict
ionary
”
中将
contract
定义为
“
contract is a
promise, or a
set of promises, for
breach of which the law gives remedy, or the
performance of the which the
law in
some way recognize as a duty.
”根据这一定义，合同
是一种承诺，违反承诺可以得到法
律救助，某种意义上法律将履行该承诺看做是一种补偿
。
L.B
Curzon
在其编撰的字典“
A Dictionary
of
Law
”给
contract
的定义：
“
Co
ntract
is
a
legally binding agreement
”根据
这一定义，合同就是有法律约束力的协议。
综合起来，有一个相同点，就是“
Contract
is
an
agreement
”
，即可将事同说成是“
An
agreement which binds the parties conce
rned
”
或者说成是
“
An agreement which is enforceable by
< br>law
”
，也可以说：
Cont
racts are promises that the law will
enforce
。
何谓“
A
greement
”
?
L.B
“
A consensus of mind, or
evidence of such consensus, in spoke or written
form, relating
to anything done or to
be done.
”根据这一定义，协议是对已经做或准备做的相关事宜，经过
谈判、协商后取得一致意见，以口头或书面形式做出的约定。
Black
“
Law Dictio
nary
”
有两个定义。
一个是：
“
A concord of understanding
and intention
between
two
or
more
parties
with
respect
to
the
effect
upon
their
relative
rights
and
duties,
of
certain past or future facts or perform
ance
”
根据这一定义，
协议即双方
或多方京某些过去或将
来某些事实的相关权利、义务或相关权利、义务的履行而达成的一
致理解和愿望。
另一个是：
The
consent
of
two
or
more
persons
concurring
respecting
the
transmission
of
some property, right or benefits, with
the view of contacting an obligation, a mutual obl
igation.
根
据这一定义，协议即两个或多个当事人，<
/p>
为了约定单方责任或相互责任，就财产权利、
利益
的转移取得的一致同意。
Contract(
合同
)
和
Agreement(
协议
)
是不是可以互换呢？
合同的
成立必须具备几个主要因素。它们（要约和承诺构成的）协议、约因、设立法律
关系的愿
望和缔约能力四大部分组成。
L.B
Curzon
编著的“
A Diction of
Law
”提到“
Contract generally
involves
”
1. offer and
absolute and unqualified acceptance
(
要约和绝对接受
)
2. consensus ad
idem (
意思表示一致，也叫
meeting of
minds)
3. intention to create legal relations
(
建立合同关系的意愿
)
4. genuineness
of consent (
同意的真实性
)
5.
contractual capacity of the parties
(
合同当事人的缔约能力
)
6. legality of
object(
标的物的合法性
)
7. possibility
of performance (
履行的可能性
)
8.
certainty of terms(
条款的确定性
)
9.
valuable consideration(
等价有偿
)
Black
“
Law
Dictionary
”
中解释道：
Although often used as
synonyms with
agreement is a broader
term, e.g. an agreement might lack an essential
element of a contact.
即
“协议”和“
合同”经常用作同义词，但“协议”这一术语含义更广，例如协议可能缺乏合
同的必备条
款（
essential clauses/provisions
）
。
实际使用当中，协议可不受必备条款的限制，而称为合同的文
体肯定少不了必备条款，
有的合同将其单列，称为一般条款（
G
eneral
provisions
）
。
199
9
中国《合同法》第十二条规定了八项一般条款，分别是：
1.
title or name and domicile of the
parities(
当事人的名称或姓名和住址
)
2.
contract object(
标的
)
3.
quantity(
数量
)
4.
quality(
质量
)
5. price or
remuneration(
价款或者报酬
)
6.
time limit, place and method of performance
(
履行期限、地点和方式
)
7. liability
for breach of contract(
违约责任
)
8.
methods to settle disputes
(
解决争议的方法
)
上述解释说明，
< br>contract(
合同
)
和<
/p>
agreement(
协议
)
的概念虽然接近，
但使用范围不同，
不
能互换使用。合同是协议的重要组成部分，所有合同一定是协议，而协议不见得都是合同。
可以说具备合同成立要求的具有强制执行力的协议才是合同。
结构特点
合同类法律文件用以规定当事人的权利与义务，
是预防与解决争议的依据。
合同英语行
文慎密而准确
，历史悠久，深含法律文化底蕴。
中文的合同开头一般先罗列当事人的名称、姓名、住所或营业
场所，然后是合同正文，
结尾是当事人印章、
授权代表签字、<
/p>
职务及签字日期。
而英语合同一般以下面这类句式为开
头：
This agreement/contract is
made and entered in to this ____ day of
_____(month), _______
(year)
by
and
between
Party
A
(hereinafter
called
Party
A
Party
B(hereinafter
called
Party B
然后是开始陈述：
WHEREAS
< br>??
THEREFORE
?
It
is hereby agreed as follows:
或以：
WITNESSETH,
WHEREAS
?
NOW
THEREFORE,
for
and
in
consideration
of
the
mutual
covenants
and
agreements
contained herein,
the parties hereby covenant and agree as follows:
接着是正文，最后是证明部分，
：
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF
，
the parties
hereto have hereunto set their hands the day and
years
first above written.
随后还包括当事人和见证人的签字
。签字日期一般在英文合同最搬弄是非是找不到的。
下面列出新加坡、美国、香港和日本的合同格式。
A.
新加坡
Agreement
THIS
AGREEMENT
is
made
the
9th
day
of
August,
2001
between
LUCKY
INTERNATIONAL LTD, a company
incorporated in Singapore and having its
registered office at
Telek Blongar
Rise, Singapore 19569 (hereinfater called
Wong (NRIC No._________ /A) of 108
Orchar Road, Singapore 01688 (hereinfater called
Mangager
WHEREAS:
1.
The
company
is
engaged
in
IT
business
and
requires
a
person
with
the
necessary
qualifications and
experience to manage its business.
2.
?
.
NOW
IT IS HEREBY AGREED as follows:
1.
The
company
shall
employ
the
Manager
and
the
Manager
shall
serve
the
Company
as
manager
of
the
Company's
IT
business
for
a
period
of
two
years
commencing
on
1st
day
of
September
2.
?
.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have set their
hand the day and year first above
written.
THE SCHEDULE ABOVE REFERRED
TO
Duties of Manger
1. To manage,
maintain and promote the business of the Company.
SIGNED by Roger Tan
For and on
behalf of LUCKY INTERANTIONAL LTD
In the presence
of
SIGNED by TERESA WONG
In the presence
of
新加坡的通用合同分五部分：
第一部分：称为
< br>parties
，主要介绍合同各方的姓名或名称，注册地国及地址、邮编及各<
/p>
自在合同的简称。开头框架一般为：
THIS
AGREEMENT
is
made
the
——
__________
day
of
_____
（
month
）
,__
__
(year)
between
A
_______
(hereinafter
called
Company
of
the
part
and
B______,
(hereinafter
called
句子开头
THIS
AGREEMENT
或
CONTRA
CT
和当事人的姓名和名称，都应大写。当
事人是自然人的，<
/p>
用
“
of
”
和其后的住址相连；
是法人或非法人单位的，
用
“
having its registered
office
at
”和其后注册地址相连。
第二部分：称为
< br>recital
。以
WHEREAS
开头，进入叙述部分，用陈述正式说明当事人
订立合同的原因。
第三部分：称为
habendum
具体约定当事人的权利和义务。正文部分的结束段为：
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have set their
hand the day and year first above
written.
这段作用相当于中文合同的“双方签字盖章，特此为证”
。
第四部分：称为
schedule<
/p>
或
addendum
，附录。是对前述合
同部分条款的必要补充。不
是所有合同都有这一项。
第五部
分：称为
attestation
，证明部分。当事人如果自然
人，用“
SIGNED by __
”
；
连接后填写见证姓名的表达部分“
In the presence
of ____
”
；
当事人是法人或非
法人单
位时，
授权代表后接的是
“
SIGNED for and on behalf _____ of____
”
，
然后才是
In
the presence
of
_______
。与中文合同的显著不同是签章处除当事人外，多了一个
In
the
presence
of <
/p>
_______
供证人签字之处。另一不同的是合同订立日期没有
放在合同最后，而是出现在开头
段的当事人介绍部分。
第五部分在新加坡还有另一种表达
As Witness our
Hands this _____day of
_____
，
in the year of our
Lord Tow Thousand and
One.
Signed, sealed,
and delivered by the above named
In the presence
of
Signature
Address
Occupation
上述合
同的格式很有代表性，其它英文格式与之相比大同大异，有的合同中不含附录。
B.
美国
APPOINTMENT AS CONTRACT
FULL-TIME SENIOR CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATOR
AN AGREEMENT
FOR SERVICES made the 1st day of September, 2000
between ______
of
_____
(address)(hereinafter
referred
to
as
Company
as
one
part
and
Mr._______
of
_______(address) (hereinafter referred
to as the Contractor) of the other part.
WHEREBY IT IS AGREED AND DECLARED AS
FOLLOWS:
1. THAT the Company shall
?
2. This agreement shall
commence on
?
.
3.
4.
IN WITNESS
WHEREOF, both parties set their hands on the date
herein mentioned
SIGNED BY
Name :
Designation :
For and on behalf of :
(signature)
Contractor :
Designation :
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