商务合同
涉外商务合同通常分为以下几类:涉外货物买卖合同、涉外运输合同、涉外保险合同、 中外合资经营企业合同、中外合作经营企业合同、中外合作勘探开发自然资源合同、来料加工 合同、来件装配合同、补偿贸易合同、涉外租赁合同、涉外技术转让合同、涉外科研合同、工 程承包合同、涉外劳务合同、涉外信贷合同等。
(一)商务合同结构
商务合同按繁简不同,可以采取不同书面形式,如正式合同(Contract)、协议书
(Agreement)确认书(Confirmation)、备忘录(Memorandum)、订单(Order)等。一份正 式的合同通常由以下四个部分组成:
1. 标题(Title)
标明合同的性质(如销售合同Sales Contract)和合同号(Contract Number)o合同号一般 在标题的后面或者右下方,在相应位置上写上:No. 。如N0.35-777, No. AG138等。
2. 前文(Preamble)
国际商务合同的前言部分,主要包括两个方面的内容:其一,主要载明合同当事人的名 称或者姓名、国籍、主营业务或者住所(The corporate or personal names of the parties to the contract and their nationalities, principal places of business or residential address); 其二,合同签 订的日期、地点(the date and place of signing of the contract) o 如:
本合同由中国ABC公司,——总公司设于中国北京(以下简称卖方)与美国XYZ公司, 一一总公司设于美国纽约州纽约市(以下简称买方)于2003年3月29日订立于中国北京,双 方同意按下述条件买卖下列货物:
译文:This contract is made this 29th day of March, 2003 in Beijing, China by and between ABC Corporation. China (hereinafter referred to as "Seller"), a Corporation having their
principal office in Beijing, China who agrees to sell, and XYZ Corporation (hereinafter referred to as “Buyer"), a Corporation having their principal office in New York, N.Y.,USA, who agrees to
buy the following goods on the terms and cond让ions as below:
3. 合同的正文(Main Body of a Contract)
国际商务合同的正文部分是合同的实质性的条款,通常由以下内容组成⑴:
(1) 合同的类型和合同的种类、范围(The type of contract and the categories and scope of the object of the contract)
翻译这部分内容,应该注意下列问题:第一,合同的类型是指合同属于国际货物销售合 同(contract fdr international sale of goods)、专有技术许可证合同(license/know-how contract)、 成套设备技术引进合同(contract for introduction of complete plant and technology)还是其他合 同(other contracts);第二,合同标的是指合同当事人各方权利、义务所指向的对象,没有标 的或标的不明确的合同是无法履行的。
(2) 合同标的的技术条件、质量、标准、规格、数量(The technical conditions, quality, standards, specifications and quantities of the object of the contract)
合同标的的质量和数量,是确定合同标的最重要的条件。涉外商务合同要有明确、具体 的数量和质量要求。
(3) 合同履行的期限、地点和方式(Time limit, place and method of perfbrmance)
履行期限主要指履行合同义务的时间界线,这是确定合同是否按时履行或迟延履行的标 准。履行地点是指约定履行义务的地方。国际商务合同的履行地点往往涉及到不同的国家或地 区,直接关系到当事人个方面所应承担的风险责任和费用。
(4) 合同价格条件、支付金额、支付方式和各种附加的费用(The price terms, amount to be paid, ways of payment, and various types of additional charges)
这项内容实质上是由两部分组成,即:价格条款和支付条款。价格条款(terms of payment) 往往涉及许多复杂的内容。它不仅是个价格问题,而且涉及合同各方面承担的责任、风险和费 用等问题。如国际货物销售合同中常用的两个价格术语:FOB (船上交货free on board or FREE ON BOARD)和CIF (保险运费在内价或者成本、运费加保险费cost, insurance, freight or COST, INSURANCE, FREIGHT),当事人选择不同的价格术语,其承担的责任是截然不同的。因此, 价格条款往往是双方当事人商谈的重点。支付条款也是涉外合同中较敏感的条款,它不仅涉及 到不同国家的货币、外汇制度,还涉及到结算方式等一系列复杂的问题。
(5) 合同能否转让和合同转让条件(Whether or not the contract may be assigned or the conditions for assignment)
合同转让实质上是一种特殊的合同变更,即合同条款一方将合同中的权利或义务的全部 或部分转让给合同另一方或合同以外第三方,是主体的变更:
(6) 违反合同的赔偿和其他责任(The compensation and other liabilities for breach of contract)
违反涉外合同的责任是指涉外合同的当事人不履行合同、不完全履行合同、不符合双方 在合同中约定的条件时,依有关法律的规定或合同的约定应承担的经济责任,对于保证合同的 履行,促使合同当事人全面履行合同中约定的义务有着重要的意义。
至于当事人,若一方违反涉外合同应承担的责任和承担责任的方式,当事人可以在合同 中约定违约金(penalty),也可以约定赔偿损失(compensation for losses),还可以约定支付利 息(payment of interest)a 中止履行合同(suspension of the contract performance)或解除合同 (cancellation of the contract )o
(7) 合同发生争议时的解决方法(methods for resolving disputes arising under the contract) 《中华人民共和国合同法》第128条规定:“当事人可以通过和解或者调节解决合同争议。
(The parties may settle their contract disputes through conciliation or mediation...)
涉外合同发生争议时,其解决的方法有四种,即:和解(conciliation)、调解(mediation)^ 仲裁(arbitration)和诉讼(lawsuit )o
(8) 明确风险责任,约定保险范围(The limits of the risks to be borne by the parties in performing the object and the coverage of insurance of the object)
国际商务合同的履行,大多数时限长,路途远,可能受到多种因素的干扰,产生各种不 测的事件,如洪水、水灾、盗窃、海难、经营不善等。这类风险一旦发生,可能造成损失,从 而产生承担风险损失的责任问题。因此,明确风险责任,避免引起不必要的争议,对于国际商 务合同的各方面都是十分重要的。风险往往和保险是联系在一起的,为了使风险造成的损失及 时得到经济上的补偿,就需要办理保险,办理保险的实质是一旦发生风险责任,当事人可以将 其转移给保险公司。
(9) 合同的有效期限,以及可以延长合同期限和提前终止合同的条件(A period of validity for the contract and conditions for contractual extension and contractual termination before its expiration)
对于需要较长期间连续履行的合同(a contract which needs to be performed continuously over a long period),当事人可以约定合同的有效期限,并可以约定有效期限届满时,延长合 同的期限的条件或提前终止合同有效的条件。需要较长期间连续履行的合同,主要指合资经 营企业合同(contracts for sino-foreign joint ventures)、合作经营企业合同(contract for sino-fbreign contractual joint ventures成套设备技术引进合同(contracts for introduction of complete plant and technology)、国际承包工程合同(contracts for works of civil engineering construction) 等。
4. 合同的结尾(Final Clauses)
合同的结尾,也称合同最后条款,写在合同的结尾部分。结尾条款主要应明确的内容有: 合同使用的文字及其效力(Languages in which the contract is to be written and its validity)o 除了 明确使用的文字及效力外,有时还应订立对合同进行修改或补充的内容,并明确在合同的结尾 部分规定附件为本合同不可分割的组成部分。
根据《中华人民共和国合同法》第32条规定:“当事人釆用合同书形式订立合同的,自 双方当事人签字或者盖章时合同成立"(If the parties enter into a contract in written form, the contract shall go into effect when the parties sign or stamp it)。国际商务合同的成立一般是以签字 为成立要件而不是以盖章为成立要件的。所以,在合同的结尾部分还应明确规定:合同在双方 授权代表签字后正式生效⑵。如:
1. 本合同正文一式两份,分别以中文和英文书写,两种文本具有同等效力。若对其解释 产生异议,则以中文本为准。
2. 本合同的任何修改和补充,只有在双方授权的代表在书面文件上签字后才能生效,并 成为本合同不可分割的组成部分。
3. 本合同将在双方授权代表签字后正式生效。
译文:
1. This Contract is made out in two originals, each copy written in Chinese and English languages, both texts being equally valid. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.
2. Any amendment and/or supplement to this contract shall be valid only after the authorized representatives of both parties have signed written document(s), forming integral part(s) of this Contract.
3. This Contract shall come into force after the signatures by the authorized representatives of both parties.
(二)商务合同的翻译准则
商务合同的翻译原则应当准确严谨、规范通顺。在术语、条款、篇章结构、类型等方面 涉外商务合同的专业性越来越强。内容日趋完备精确,这要求我们在翻译商务合同时必须把准 确严谨作为合同翻译的首要原则来遵守。
1. 专业化
商务合同中有很多专业术语,如涉及数字、时间、交货条件、贸易术语以及信用还等方面 专业词汇特别多。若翻译出现偏差,将会给双方当事人造成难以估量的损失,因此翻译的时候 必须做到准确无误。常见的合同术语一般有比较固定的翻译,而且这部分术语和词汇使用重复 率较高,只要用心积累,不难掌握。例如:英语商务合同中常用的术语有:force majeure (不可 抗力)、defect (瑕疵)、remedy (救济)、jurisdiction (管辖)、damage (损毁)、loss (灭失)、draft at sight (即期汇票)、letter of credit (信用证)、bill of lading (提单)、documents against acceptance (承兑交单)、bill of exchange (汇票)、firm offer (实盘)、technology transfer (技术转让)等等, 这些专业术语语义精炼,表义准确、正式、规范、严谨,符合正规、严肃的合同文体特征。
“May”旨在约定当事人的权利(可以做什么),“shall,哟定当事人的义务(应当做什么), “must”用于强制性义务(必须做什么),“may not (或shall not) ”用于禁止性义务(不得做 什么)。
例如:The parties hereto shall, first of all, settle any dispute arising from or in connection with the contract by friendly negotiations.
译文:双方首先应通过友好协商,解决因合同而发生的或与合同有关的争议。
Should such negotiations fail, such dispute may be referred to the People's Court having jurisdiction on such dispute for settlement in the absence of any arbitration clause in the disputed contract or in default of agreement reached after such dispute occurs.
译文:如果协商未果,合同中又无仲裁条款约定或争议发生后未就仲裁达成一致的,可 将争议提交有管辖权的人民法院解决。
本句中的“shall"和“may”表达准确。岀现争议后应当先行协商,所以采用了义务性“约定”, 如果协商解决不了,作为当事人的权利,用选择性约定“may”也很妥当。
又如:兹经买卖双方同意按下列条款成交。
译文:The undersigned Sellers and Buyers have agree to close the following transactions according to the terms and conditions stipulated below.
这个译文中的"条款"一词应译成the terms and conditions,短语中的conditions不能漏掉, 因为一个合同条款的达成经常包含着若干条件。
再如:承担法律和经济上的责任
译文:to bear all legal and economic responsibilities arising therefrom
这个条款的译文应该是“没有问题”的,但“合同是双方当事人为了一定的经济目的所 签订的协议。"合同中的"承担法律责任"应改译为financial responsibility较妥,该条后面的 分词短语arising therefrom最好也改用含情态动词的定语从句which may arise,这样使人觉得 承担上述责任是有条件的,是一种“偶然性”而不是“必然性”。
2. 完整化
合同文件的翻译一定要保持译文的完整性,决不能只求保持原文与译文在词汇上的对等。 同时,又要避免在翻译中碰到难点,不去深入研究,而是回避矛盾只求“译完”的行为。
如:如果上述专有技术和技术资料中的部分或全部被出让方或第三方公布,受让方对公 开部分则不再承担保密义务。
原译文:In case part or all know-how of the above mentioned technical contents have been published by Licensor or any third party, the licensee shall no longer be responsible for keeping the opened parts secret.
这一条款中"保密"应译成keep secret and confidential,译文中漏掉一个confidential显得 不很严谨。另外,在In case part or all know-how of the above mentioned technical contents have been published by Licensor or any third party 之后要增译一句 and the licensee obtained evidence of such publication,这样才使得这一条款完整,因为一方不承担保密义务必须有理由,对方坚持 要求时,必须出示足够的证据。
又如:从4月1日起到10月20日止这一期间内交货,但以买方信用证在3月20日前到 达卖方为限。
原译文:Shipment during the period beginning on April 1 and ending on Oct. 20 subject to Buyer's Letter of Credit reaching Seller before Mar. 20.以上条款中交货期间应包括4月1日和10月20日这 两无 所以,应补译both date inclusive;另外,买方信用证到达日期也包括三月20日这一无 因 此,Mar. 20 之前的介词除用 before 外还应增加 on,译成 subject to Buyer's Letter of Credit reaching
Seller on and before Mar. 20□句中的subject to在这里指“以 为准”,“以 为有效”,(例如:
This offer is subject to our final confinnation.本报价以我方最后确认为准)。
3. 规范化
国际商务合同翻译的第三个标准是“规范通顺”,就是要把理解了的东西,用规范通顺的、 合乎合同语言要求的文字表达出来。
英语商务合同中,有些句式是几乎每一份合同都要用到的,这些句式的翻译也往往是约 定俗成的。常见的句式结构如:
The contract is made out in English and Chinese languages in quadruplicate, both texts being equally authentic, and each Party shall hold two copies of each text.
译文:本合同用英文和中文两种文字写成,一式四份。双方执英文本和中文本各一式两 份,两种文字具有同等效力。
一些英语商务合同中常用短语的汉译也比较固定,可套用。例如:
hereinafter referred to as | 以下称 |
whereas | 鉴于 |
in witness whereof | 兹证明 |
for and on behalf of | 代表 |
by virtue of | 因为 |
prior to | 在……之前 |
as regards / concerning / relating to | 关于 |
cease to do | 停止做 |
in effect | 事实上 |
miscellaneous | 其他事项 |
例如:乙方保证是本合同规定提供的一切专有技术和技术资料的合法所有者,并有权向 甲方转让。如果发生第三方指控侵权,由乙方负责与第三方交涉,并承担法律上和经济上的全 部责任。
原译文:Party B guarantees that he is the legitimate owner of the know-how and technical documentation supplied to Party A in accordance with the contract and that he has the right to transfer them to Party A. If the third party accuses Party B of infringement, Party B shall take up the matter with the third party and bear all legal and economic responsibilities arising therefrom.
Supplied to Party A 应在分词 supplied 后加译 by Party B,使全句完整明晰;In accordance with the contract,这句原文的含义是指“按合同中规定的条款”,所以应改成in accordance with stipulations of the contract 才能体现出与原文的含义的一致性;he has the right to transfer them to Party A这句译文不大像“行话”。句中的两个代词应换成名词,因为在英文合同文件中,出现 过的名词尽量不用代词代替,以免产生误解。He has the right to transfer应译为Party B is lawfully in a position to transfer,这样更能强调乙方对技术和资料占有的绝对合法性。
同时 if the third party accuses party B of infringement 这个句子明显有两处错误:(1) the third party给人一种甲乙双方似乎都已知道“第三方”是谁的印象,而实际并非如此,所以应改为 any/a third party;⑵to accuse sb. of sth. 一般是指控诉某人触犯刑律,而这句中的“指控”仅指 一般的民事侵权,故应改成to bring a charge of infringement.
Party B shall take up the matter with the third party,此译文中的 take up sth. with sb.是指 “ 口 头或书面向某人提岀某事”没有能确切地译出原文中由乙方负责与第三方交涉的本意,故应改 成 Party B shall be responsible for dealing with the third party.
“全部责任”指的是“由于上述”原因而发生的乙方应承担的责任,所以“全部”应选 用full而不用allo另外,“承担由此引起的法律和经济责任”应译为bear the legal and financial responsibilities which may arise therefrom.
因此译文可改为:
Party B guarantees that Party B is the legitimate owner of the know・how and technical documentation supplied by Party B to Party A in accordance with the stipulations of the Contract, and that Party B is lawfully in a position to transfer the above-mentioned know-how and technical documentation to Party A. If any/a third party brings a charge of infringement, Party B shall be responsible for dealing with the third party and bear the full legal and financial responsibilities which may arise therefrom.
(三)商务合同中长句的翻译
1.逆序法
商务合同的翻译要求准确而严谨,不用容易产生歧义的词语,所选用的词汇具有严格的 法律涵义。因此,在翻译时应认真斟酌,要彻底弄懂原文的基本含义,准确选词,使用恰当的 词汇。同时要求规范,表达的内容符合商务活动约定俗成的含义,语言通顺。有时,商务合同 的句子稍长些,翻译时注意断句。
如:Injuries or damage to persons or property resulting from any act or neglect of the Employer, his agents, servants or other contractors, not being employed by the contractor, or for or in respect of any claims, proceedings, damages, costs, charges and expenses in respect, thereof or in relation thereto or where the injury or damage was contributed to by the contractor, his servants or agents such part of the compensation as may be just and responsibility of the employer, his servants or agents or other contractors for the damage or injury
这段文字较长,但中心明确,可采用多种翻译技巧与方法,如长句分译法,长句逆序法, 省略译法,被动态译法等。
所谓逆序法是指由于英汉两种语言在表达方面存在差异,在翻译时应按各自的语言表达 习惯重新组合。在组合过程中,原文的一些语句顺序将打乱,前置或是后置。也就是说顺译或 倒译,即从原文的后面往前译法为逆序法。如上例这段中的后半句在翻译时,最好提前译出, 即把 such part of the compensation... or injury 提至 0 in respect of any claims... thereof 之前。
译文:承包人认为由业主及其代理人、服务商或其他分包人造成的损失,且可公正地认 为是业主及其代理人和其他分包人的责任,由此引起的索赔、诉讼损失费用、开支等
整个后半句子逆序法明显,且有部分省略。
再如: The risk of loss or damage to the goods, as well as the obligation to bear the costs
② ③
relating to the goods, passes f?om the seller to the buyer when the seller has fulfilled this obligation
①
to deliver the goods.
将上句话按汉语顺序划线并标上顺序可看岀明显的逆序法。
译文:当卖方完成了运输货物的责任,货物的丢失或损坏,及承担与货物相关的费用的 责任便从卖方转移到买方。
2. 顺序法
顺序法按时间的顺序,逻辑的先后安排来翻译。由于这种译法与汉语的表达顺序基本相 同,差别不大,完全可以做到递序而下,顺译而为。
例:The Seller shall notify the Buyer two months prior to each shipment whether his inspectors will ioin in the inspection of the shipment: The Buyer after receiving the notice shall inform the Seller of the Date of inspection at least 20 days before the date of open-packaxe inspection and shall
②
also render convenience to the Seller's inspectors in their inspection work.
③
上例中,第一句是复合句,包括一个主句和一个从句。第二句是一个简单句,有两层含 义,虽然句子稍微长些,但句子并不复杂,也较容易理解。
译文:卖方在每批货发货前两个月通知买方是否参加该批货检验。买方收到通知后至少
① ②
在开箱检验日期前20天将检验日期通知卖方,并为卖方检验人员提供检验工作的便利条件。
③
(四)商务合同中的数字翻译
商务合同中不可避免地要用到数字翻译,但由于英汉两种语言存在差异,细微的数字差 异会产生巨大的合同分歧,因而在翻译时需要谨慎。
1. 表示"不多不少"、"恰恰正好"、"整整":exactly, flat, just, sharp, whole 等
例:The wire measures exactly twenty meters.
译文:这条导线刚好20米长。
例: The machine worked for ten whole days.
译文:这台机器整整运转了 10天时间。
彳列:The plane takes ofF at 8 o'clock sharp.
译文:这架飞机8点整起飞。
例: He earns a cool half million dollars a year.
译文:他一年收入整整50万美元。
例:The T-shirt cost just 10 dollars.
译文:买这个T恤衫正好花了 10美元。
彳列:Professor Johnson finished the experiment in twenty-four hours flat.
译文:约翰逊教授完成这一实验正好用了 24小时。
在商业发票中,常用Say xxxxx only.即xxx元整。
2. 表示"大约"、"不确定":about, some, around, round, nearly, towards, somewhere about, estimated, approximately, on the border of, close to, or so 等
例:It is nearly / toward (s) 4 o'clock.
译文:现在将近四点了。
It is somewhere about 4 o'clock.
译文:现在四点左右。
The price of this new machine is on the bonier of/ in the neighborhood of a thousand dollars.
译文:这台新机器的价格约1000美元。
The book will only cost 15 dollars or so.
译文:这本书只要十五美元左右。
About / Some / Around / Round twenty passengers were killed in the road accident. 译文:这次交通事故中约有二十名旅客死亡。
3. 表示"高于”、“多于”:more than, odd, over, above, long, past, or more, upwards of, higher than, in excess of, exceed 等
例: Never spend in excess of your income.
译文:花钱切勿超过你的收入。
There are three thousand odd students in this normal school.
译文:这所师范院校有三千多名学生。
Supplies of this commodity greatly exceed the demand. 译文:这种商品的供应大大超过了需求。
Upwards of seven thousand medical workers and twenty thousand PLA men have left for the earthquake district.
译文:有七千多名医务人员和两万多名解放军前往震区。
The patients are children of three years old and upwards.
译文:这些病人是三岁和三岁以上的儿童。
The child couldn't count past 20.
译文:这个孩子不会数20以上的数。
4. 表示"少于”、“差一些”、“不到":less, less than, below, no more than, under, short of, off, to, within, as few as 等
仞J: The price of that tricycle is less than /undeT /below fifty dollars. 译文:那辆三轮车的售价还不到50美元。
The invention cost each family no more than one dollar a week.
译文:这项发明使每个家庭每周最多花费1美元。
He bought the coffeepot at 6 dollars off the list price.
译文:他以低于价目表6美元的价格买下了那个咖啡壶。
It's five minutes to five now.
译文:现在是5点差5分。
5. 表示数目、数量多时:full, solid, at least, all of, no less than, as...as 等
The motor ran 450 solid days on end.
译文:马达连续运转了足足450天。
The experiment will take three months, at least.
译文:实验至少需要三个月时间。
The temperature at the sun's center is as high as 10 000 000°C.
译文:太阳中心的温度高达摄氏1 000万度。 They covered full twenty reference sources on clone in a single day.
译文:仅用了一天时间,他们就看完了足足20种有关克隆的资料。
There were no less than 3 000 dead and wounded in the 911 terrorist attack.
译文:在9・11恐怖袭击中,死伤者达3 000多人。
They covered all of ten miles.
译文:他们走了实足十英里。
6. 表示数目、数量少:only, merely, barely, scarcely, but, at most, no more than, scant 等
There is at most / only room for one person.
译文:至多只有可容纳一个人的空间。
That solar-energy car weighs only / merely / barely / scarcely / but 500kg.
译文:那辆太阳能汽车重量仅有500公斤。
Inspection time for the installation was no more than 2 hours.
译文:安装检验工作仅用了两个小时。
They covered a scant six miles today.
译文:他们今天走了近6里路。
7. 倍数的翻译
(1) "be n times as + a. (ad.)+ as ” "是 的 n 倍”或"比 大(n-1)倍”
The grain output of this year is about three times as great as that of last year.
译文:今年的粮食产量大约是去年的3倍/比去年多两倍左右。
(2) un times + a.(ad.)比较级+than" “是 的 n 倍”或“比 大(n-1)倍”
Asia is four times larger than Europe.
译文:亚洲的面积是欧洲的4倍/亚洲的面积比欧洲大3倍。
This power plant is four times larger than that one.
译文:这个发电站是那个发电站的4倍/比那个发电站大三倍。
(3) "be as + a. (ad.)+ again as"; “again as+ a. (ad.) + as” "是 的两倍”或“比 多一
倍”另外,若again之前有half,则表示“比……长(大,宽,多……)半倍”;若again之前 有much或many,则表示"比 长(大,宽,多 )一倍”
例:This wire is as long again as that one.
译文:这根金属线的长度是那根的两倍。
Brown has half as many books again as Peter does.
译文:布郎的书比彼得的书多一半。
Prof. Peter has books as many again as I do.
译文:彼得教授的书比我的书多一倍。
(4) “刃 times + upon/ovcr""是 n 倍"或“比 多(n-1)倍”
He is five times upon your age.
译文:他的年龄是你的5倍。
The industrial output in our factory this year is ten times over that of 1999.
译文:今年我们工厂的产量是1999年的10倍。
The total output value of the city's light industry has grown three times over that of last year.
译文:这个城市的轻工业总产值比去年增长了两倍。
(5) "increase (rise, grow, go up 等)+(by) n times^^
u increase (rise, grow, go up 等)+ to + n times"
"increase (rise, grow, go up 等)+ n-fold1'
“ increase (rise, grow, go up 等)+ by a factor of + 泸“增加到 n 倍”、"增加了 (n-1)倍” The population of this county has increased by a factor of 5.
译文:该县的人口已经增长了 4倍。
By 2004 the production of primary copper has increased five fold.
译文:到2004年,原铜产量增长了 4倍。
The sales of industrial electronic products have multiplied 5 times.
译文:工业电子产品销售额增加了 4倍。
The steel output has increased by three times.
译文:钢产量已增加了两倍。
The price of rice has increased to three times.
译文:大米的价格涨到了原价的3倍。
(6) "increase (rise, grow, go up) +by n + 单位(或 n %) ” 表示净增量,数词 n 等照译 例:The output went up by 45 000 tons.
译文:产量增加了 45 000吨。
The production has increased by 5 %.
译文:生产已增加了 5%。
(7) “an increase of n + 单位''或ua n°/o increase of9 表示净增量,数词 n 照译
There is an increase of 4.5 million tons of steel as compared with last year.
译文:钢产量比去年增加了 450万吨。
There is a 25% increase of steel as compared with last yea匚
译文:钢产量比去年增加了 25%。
(8) "decrease ( reduce, fall, lower,等)+ by 刃或 n%(系)动词 +刃或 n% less (than)"表 示净减量,所减数字n均可照译
180 decreased by 80 is 100.
译文:180减去80等于100。
The cost decreased by 40%.
译文:成本下降了 40%。
This new process used 35 % less fuel.
译文:这种工艺少用了 35%的燃料。
(9) “decrease (reduce, fall 等)+ (by) n times"
"decrease (reduce, fall 等)+ n times as + a. (ad.) + as"
''decrease (reduce, fall 等)+ by a factor of n “减少到 n 分之 1"或“减少了 n 分之(n-1) ” The enterprise management expenditure this year has decreased by three times as against that of 2002.
译文:该企业今年的行政管理开支比2002年降低了 2/3o
The price of farm tools has decreased by a factor of 4.
译文:农具价格降到原价的1/4。
The error probability of the equipment was reduced by 2.5 times through technical innovation.
译文:通过技术革新该设备误差概率降低了 3/5。
因为英汉语言在使用分数方面的差异(如汉语的分母中极少使用小数点),如果英语减少 的倍数中有小数点时,则应换算成分数。根据表达习惯英语中的2.5times,汉语一般不说“二 点五分之一 ”,这时应换算成整数分母,即“降低到五分之二”或“降低了五分之三”。
彳列:By using a new process the prime cost of the television set was reduced by 3.4 times. 译文:采用一种新工艺使这种电视的主要成本降低了 71%。
算成整数分母,即“降低到5/17”或“降低了 12/17”,但这样仍不符合汉语习惯。在 不要求绝对精确的情况下,可进一步换算成百分数,即“降低到29%”或“降低了 71%”。
&大数字的翻译
中国与英美数字方面的差异:
首先,数目的分位制不同。中国数字分位是“个、十、百、千”,再往上是“万、十万、 百万、千万”,然后是“亿、十亿、百亿、千亿”,等等。而英美则习惯上以三位数来分位,即 “个、十、百”,往上去是“千、十千、百千",然后是(million百万)、十M、百M”,最 后落脚点都在“百”上。
其次,命数法不同。中国以“万”和“亿”来命数,而英美以“million”和“billion”来 命数。同时,英美的命数也有不同:“billion”在美国指“十亿”,在英国指“万亿(兆)”,美 国则用“triHion”指"万亿(兆)
例J: nine thousand, seven hundred and forty-three 9743
a hundred and seventy-four thousand, three hundred and one 174,301
eighteen million, six hundred and fifty-seven thousand, four hundred and twenty-one 18,657,421
seven hundred and fifty million 750,000,000
four billion (美式)或 four thousand million (英式)40 亿 twenty billion (美式)200 亿
three hundred billion (美式)3000 亿
four million million 4 万亿
英文数字读法规律(从右开始读,以美式英语为例):
第一个逗号前的数字读成thousand, 1,000 = one thousand
第二个逗号前的数字读成million, 1,000,000 = one million
第三逗号前的数字读成 billion, 1,000,000,000 = one billion
第四个逗号前的数字读成 trillion, 1,000,000,000,000 = one trillion