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《中华人民共和国民法通则》中英文翻译评析

发布时间：2011/7/12 阅读次数：10742 字体大小: 【小】【中】【大】

《中华人民共和国民法通则》中英文翻译评析（一）

作者：陈忠诚

对国内各有关单位的法律英译有了一定了解之后，为了知己知彼，也必须对国外学术或商业单位所制作的中华人民共和国法律英译本的水准有所了解。我们在对各大洲国外单位关心我们的法律并组织译制的热忱表示赏尝的同时，也理所当然地对其译制质量表示关切――其程度且不亚于对我国单位所制作的译品。

为此，我们以《民法通则》亚（Asia）、澳(Australia)、美（America）三大洲的英译本各一种[中华人民共和国国务院法制局制作的英译本、澳洲CCH股份有限公司英译本和美国全美律协主办的China Law Reporter杂志英译本（注明为James V. Feinerman与Lee M. Zeichner两氏按Frankie Fook-lum Leung和Franky Hung-kwun Tse两君的草译在Natalie G. Lichtenstein女士协助之下翻译的）]为对象，进行了调查并称本调查报告为“中华人民共和国《民法通则》AAA英译本比较评析”，望能引起国际中国法翻译界的注意，以便共同努力，把中国法律的英译工作提高一步。

以下为叙述方便，把法制局译本简称LAB、澳洲译本简称CCH、美洲译本简称CLR，请看：

原文：中华人民共和国民法通则

译文：GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF THE CIVIL LAW OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (LAB)

General Principles of Civil Law of the People’s Republic of China (CCH)

THE GENERAL RULES OF THE CIVIL CODE OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (CLR)

述评：“民法通则”是中华人民共和国的民法，以其内容之概而要，故称。这就是说，“民法通则”属“民法”范畴而不仅仅是民法的原则或规则。犹父亲是父亲、儿子是儿子，父亲的儿子仍是儿子而不是父亲，其理一也。因此，CLR以之为“general rules”，LAB和CCH均以之为“general principles”均不合立法的原意和文字，皆不可取。此外，“民法”不同于“民法典”，所以CLR作“Civil Code”是错的，而LAB和CCH作“Civil Law”是对的。

为此，建议改译如下：

General Civil Law of the People’s Republic of China

原文：一九八六年四月十二日第六届全国人民代表大会第四次会议通过

译文：Adopted at the Fourth Session of the Sixth National People’s Congress on April 12, 1986 (LAB)

Adopted 12 April 1986 by the 4th Session of the 6th National People’s Congress (CCH)

Adopted by the Fourth Session of the Sixth National People’s Congress, April 12, 1986 (CLR)

述评：六届全国代表大会是权力机关，有权通过法律，而其第四次会议并非权力机关，本身自无权通过。说得更具体一点则是由六届人大在其四次会议上通过的。因此，CCH与CLR两译本均作“by the Fourth (4th) Session”是错误的；LAB不用“by”而用了“at”这就对了，但究竟是由谁通过的呢？――没有把“通过”这一动作的施动者传译出来，仍嫌不足。为此，拟改译如下：

Adopted by the Sixth National People’s Congress at its Fourth Session on April 12, 1986

原文：第一章基本原则

译文：Chapter I Basic Principles (LAB)

Chapter I Fundamental Principles (CCH)

CHAPTER ONE: BASIC PRINCIPLES (CLR)

述评：basic和fundamental两者互相渗透，但前者内涵更贴切，且短小见胜，更为可取。

原文：第一节民事权利能力和民事行为能力

译文：（略）。

述评：（无异议）。

原文：第一条为了保障公民、法人的合法的民事权益，正确调整民事关系，适应社会主义现代化建设事业发展的需要，根据宪法和我国实际情况，总结民事活动的实践经验，制定本法。

译文：Article 1 This Law is formulated in accordance with the Constitution and the actual situation of our country, drawing upon our practical experience in civil activities, for the purpose of protecting the lawful civil rights and interests of citizens and legal persons and correctly adjusting civil relations, so as to meet the needs of the developing socialist modernization. （LAB）

Article 1. This Law is formulated in order to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of citizens and legal persons, to correctly regulate civil relations and to meet the requirements of the development of the construction of socialist modernization, in accordance with the Constitution and actual conditions in China and drawing on the practical experience of civil activities. (CCH)

Article 1. This Law is promulgated in accordance with the Constitution at present situation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and is drawn from practice in civil acts, to safeguard the legitimate civil rights and interests of citizens, juristic persons and to regulate correctly civil relations to meet the needs of construction and development of socialist modernization. (CLR)

述评：（1）三译本把《民法通则》或译作“General Principles of …”或译作“General rules of …”。如前所示，“本法”自当相应地分别译如“These Principles”或“These Rules”,而今竟众口一词都译作了“This Law”,实属前后自相矛盾。但在《民法通则》已改译为“General Civil Law”的前提下，三译本以“This Law”译“本法”倒是译对了。

（2）人大“制定”法律，三译均以“formulate”译之，虽尚不得谓误，然仍不如“enact”贴切。

（3）“制定”并非“公布”，CLR竟以“promulgate”(即“公布”)译“制定”，殊属非是，其草率从事，不难窥见。

（4）三译均以“in accordance with”译“根据”，而法律文体家有以作“according to”为佳者。

（5）“我国”用于法律条文不伦不类，此仍立法者之过。但译者不能将错就错，死扣原文而译作“our country”(LAB)。CCH 与CLR两译本均不作如是译，无疑是正确的。其中，CCH作“in China”,自不如CLR之译作“of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)”为好。

（6）“实际情况”被分别译为“actual situation”(LAB)、“actual conditions”(CCH)和“the present situation”(CLR)，均不如改作“actualities”为宜。

（7）LAB以“civil rights”译“民事权利”十分不妥――被英语民族读者误解为“民权”，是非常现实的。

（8）“为了”以CLR作“to”为最佳，CHH作“in order to”次之，LAB作“for the purpose of -ing”最次――最拖沓（即使要用，也只须“for”一词为足矣）。

（9）“调整”，与一般用语如“调整室内温度”之“调整”不同，乃法律用语，意为“规范”。故CLR与CHH均作“regulate”，恰如其分；而LAB作“adjust”显系用词不当。

（10）综上所述并作通盘考虑，建议改译如下：

Drawn from the experience of practices in civil activities, this Law is enacted according to the Constitution and the actualities of the PRC to protect the legal rights and interests of citizens and juristic persons in civil matters, correctly to regulate civil relations so as to cope with the building up of socialist modernization.

原文：第二条中华人民共和国民法调整平等主体的公民之间、法人之间、公民和法人之间的财产关系和人身关系。

译文：Article 2 The Civil Law of the People’s Republic of China shall adjust property relationships and personal relationships between civil subjects with equal status, that is, between citizens, between legal persons and between citizens and legal persons. (LAB)

Article 2. The Civil Law of the People’s Republic of China regulates, on the basis of equality, the property and personal relationships between citizens, between legal persons and between citizens and legal persons. (CCH)

Article 2. The Civil code of the PRC regulates the property and personal relations equally between citizens, between juristic persons and between citizens and juristic persons as subject. (CLR)

述评：（1）三译本首先有一个共同的严重错误，即无中译有：世界上至今尚无一部《中华人民共和国民法》，而三种译本竟一致行动，译出了这样一部法律来了（虽然用的是两个不同的译名“The Civil Law of the PRC”和“The Civil Code of the PRC”）堪称国际法律翻译界的奇事――虽然立法者是通过含糊其词的笔法而在客观上参与此奇事的。

（2）其实，这个“民法”系指《民法通则》内外的民事立法的总体（即50年代盛行的“总和”）。根据这一理解，应作“civil legislation of PRC”才可能是唯一正确的译法。

（3）同第一条“述评”所指出的一样，LAB以“adjust”译“调整”实属用词不当；唯有CHH与CLR以“regulate”译之，才是正确的。

（4）本条所规定的不是“rule of conduct”而是“rule of law”，因此LAB用“shall”是违反英语法律文体从而是违反法律英译基础规律的，与此同时，也必须指出其余CCH和CLR两译都不用“shall”，是掌握了这一规律的正确的译法。

（5）关于“平等主体”，LAB（“between civil subjects with equal status”）和CCH（“on the basis of equality”）所译均嫌拖沓；CLR为求简练，用“equally”一言以译之，其精神可嘉，可惜“equally”位置摆得不对――致使译文中不是表达各民事主体之间的平等，而是三个“之间”之间的“平等”了。

（6）综上所述，结合本条译文之宏观设计，拟改译如下：

The civil legislation of the PRC regulates the property and the personal relations between citizens, between juristic persons, and between citizens and juristic persons- all as equal subjects in civil matters.

原文：第三条当事人在民事活动中的地位平等。

译文：Article 3. Parties to a civil activity shall have equal status. (LAB)

Article 3. Parties concerned shall enjoy equality of position in their civil activities. (CCH)

Article 3.The status of parties to civil acts shall be equal. (CLR)

述评：（1）本条是平铺直叙地表述一项法律规定，而不是规定当事人的义务，故不能用“shall”。至于CCH所译“shall enjoy”云之，错得尤为出奇――译成汉语就是“有享有平等之义务”！

（2）综上所述，并按法律翻译文字须力求精炼而不说废话的原则，改译如下：

Parties are equal in a civil activity.

原文：第四条民事活动应当遵循自愿、公平、等价有偿、诚实信用的原则。

译文：Article 4. In civil activities, the principles of voluntariness, fairness, making compensation for equal value, honesty and credibility shall be observed. (LAB)

Article 4. Civil activities shall respect the principles of voluntary participation, equity, compensation at equal value and honesty and trustworthiness. (CCH)

Article 4. Civil acts shall conform to the principles of voluntariness, fairness, compensation for equal value and good faith. （CLR）

述评：（1）原文所规定的是法律规则即民事活动是如此这般的，而不是规定民事活动当事人应如何行事的行动规则，故三译本中的三个“shall”都是错误的。

（2）据此并求行文之精炼，建议改译如下：

Civil activities are subject to the principles of voluntariness, fairness, quid pro quo, and full-faith-and-credit. (LAB)

原文：第五条公民、法人的合法的民事权益受法律保护，任何组织和个人不得侵犯。

译文：Article 5. The lawful civil rights and interests of citizens and legal persons shall be protected by law; no organization or individual may infringe upon them. (LAB)

Article 5 The legitimate rights and interests of citizens and legal persons are protected by law and may not be violated by any organization or individual. (CCH)

Article 5 The legitimate civil rights and interests of citizens and juristic persons are protected by law, and no organization or individual may encroach upon them. (CLR)

述评：（1）“公民、法人的合法民事权益”的上列三种译文，其功过见第一条述评，不赘。

（2）CCH与CLR在译文中不用“shall”是对的，LAB用了“shall”就错了（理由同上文第三条“述评”（1）前段）。

（3）建议改译如下：

The Legal rights and interests of citizens and juristic person in civil matters are protected by the law, not to be interfered with by any organization or individual.

原文：第六条民事活动必须遵守法律，法律没有规定的，应当遵守国家政策。

译文：Article 6. Civil activities must be in compliance with the law; where there are no relevant provisions in the law, they shall be in compliance with state policies. (LAB）

Article 6 Civil activities must respect the law. Where the law has no provisions with regard to civil activities, they shall respect State policies. (CCH)

Article 6 Civil acts must be in accord with the law. Where there is no rule under the law, State policy must be obeyed. (CLR)

述评：（1）“遵守法律”，在三种译文中以CCH为是――直截了当的“respect the law”。余两种译文喜欢绕弯子、拖泥带水地硬是要作“be in compliance with”（为何不作“comply with”？！）和“be in accord with”！LAB与CLR两译本所译均不足为训，切勿追踵效尤。

（2）“法律没有规定的”的译法更为累赘（见三种译本中冗长的“where”clause和“when”clause），殊不足取。

（3）建议改译如下：

Civil activities must respect the law or, where the law is silent, the State policies.

原文：第七条民事活动应当尊重社会公德，不得损害社会公共利益，破坏国家经济计划，扰乱社会经济秩序。

译文：Article 7 Civil activities shall have respect for social ethics and shall not harm the public interest, undermine state economic plans or disrupt social economic order. (LAB)

Article 7. Civil activities shall respect social moral principles and shall not harm the common interest of society, damage State economic plans or disrupt social economic order. (CCH)

Article 7. Civil acts should respect for social morality and must not harm the public interest, undermine the State economic plans nor disrupt the economic order of society. (CLR)

述评：（1）法律汉译英，切莫上“应当”的当――CLR上了这个大当，译成了“should”；LAB和CCH不上这个当，译作“shall”。本条是法律规则而不是行动规则，故连“shall”也是不能用的。

（2）LAB绕了个弯用了“have respect for”而弃“respect”。按此，则下文自当以“do harm to”译“损害”了，但是不；便是直截了当用了“harm（动词）”。两种译风自以后者为是。所以CCH和CLR都不屑用“have respect for”而采用了“respect”应当受到表扬。

（3）建议改译如下：

Civil activities are to respect social mores but not to harm the public interest, undermine the State economic planning, or disrupt the social economic order.

原文：第八条在中华人民共和国领域内的民事活动，适用中华人民共和国法律，法律另有规定的除外。

本法关于公民的规定，适用于在中华人民共和国领域内的外国人、无国籍人，法律另有规定的除外。

译文：Article 8 The law of the People’s Republic of China shall apply to civil activities within the People’s Republic of China, except as otherwise stipulated by law.

The stipulations of this Law as regards citizens shall apply to foreigners and stateless persons within the People’s Republic of China, except as otherwise stipulated by law. (LAB)

Article 8. Unless otherwise stipulated by law, the laws of the People’s Republic of China shall apply to civil activities carried out within the territory of the People’s Republic of China.

Unless otherwise stipulated by law, the provisions of this Law with regards to citizens apply to foreign nationals and stateless persons within the territory of the People’s Republic of China. (CCH)

Article 8. Except as otherwise provided by law, civil acts within the territory of the PRC are subject to the law of the PRC.

Except as otherwise provided by law, the provisions of this Law applicable to citizens shall apply to foreign persons and stateless persons in the territory of the PRC. (CLR)

述评：（1）本条完全是rule of law而不是rule of conduct，怎么能用“shall”呢？LAB和CLR用了“shall”，又错了。CCH不用“shall”是对的；CLR第一项译文也不用“shall”，也是对的。看来，凡我法律英译者千万要练好正确使用“shall”的基本功。

（2）“stipulate(-tion)”与“provide(-vision)”有别：前者指契约条款之“规定”，后者指法律条文之“规定”。故CLR此处用“provided”是对的，而LAB和CCH用“stipulate(-lation)”当然是错的。CCH与此同时还犯了另一个错：名词用“provision”而动词则用“stipulate”，违反了同一概念之译名必须同一这条法律英译规则。

（3）原文“适用于”词不达意，如能达意，当改正为“也适用于”才是。

（4）建议改译如下：

The PRC law applies to civil activities in the PRC unless otherwise provided.

Provisions of this law concerning citizens also apply to aliens and stateless persons unless otherwise provided.

（未完，待续）

[译苑撷英]

编者按：本栏目本期所选译文皆摘自我室专家的翻译审定稿，仅供大家参考和探讨，并不代表本室的规范性意见。

1. 行业协会需要政治可靠、业务熟悉的同志从事日常工作。行业协会的专职工作人员包括秘书长、副秘书长和其他专职管理人员。为提高素质，保持队伍的相对稳定，对行业协会专职人员按“老人老办法，新人新办法”分类处理，实施平稳过渡，以保证行业协会工作不断、队伍不散。

The trade associations need the personnel who are trustworthy in politics and familiar with profession to run the daily job. The full-time personnel of the trade associations cover the General Secretary, Vice General Secretary and other full-time administrative staff. In order to improve the quality and maintain the relative stability of the personnel, we should carry out the smooth transition of the full-time personnel of the trade associations by classified treatment in accordance with the principle of “Old measure for the old staff, new measure for the new comers”, so as to guarantee the continuity of the work and the ranks of the personnel of the trade associations will not be disbanded.

2. 认真贯彻党的十六大精神，以“三个代表”重要思想为指导，坚持与时俱进的时代精神和执政为民的根本宗旨，严格依照《中华人民共和国行政处罚法》（以下简称《行政处罚法》）的规定和国务院《决定》的要求，进一步推进文化领域相对集中行政处罚权工作，探索建立与社会主义市场经济体制相适应的、符合上海现代化国际大都市管理需要的文化领域行政执法体制和机制，提高依法行政的能力和水平，保护公民、法人和其他组织的合法权益，加强社会主义精神文明建设，确保先进文化的前进方向，促进文化事业的繁荣、发展。

By implementing conscientiously the spirit of the Sixteen National Party Congress, with the important thought of “Three Represents” as the guide, and through adhering to the spirit of the era of marching forward with the times, and the fundamental purpose of governance for the people, and strictly in accordance with the provisions of the “Administrative Penal Law of the People’s Republic of China” (hereinafter referred to as “Administrative Penal Law”) and the requirements provided in “Decision of State Council”, it is requested to promote further the relative centralization of the power to impose administrative penalty in cultural field, explore and establish the administrative law enforcement system and mechanism of the cultural field that are suited to the system of socialist market economy and in conformity with the administration requirements of the modernized and metropolitan city of Shanghai, enhance the ability and level of administration by law, protect the legitimate rights and interests of the citizens, legal persons and other organizations, intensify the construction of socialist spiritual civilization, ensure the way forward for the advanced culture, and promote the prosperity and development of cultural undertaking.

3. 希望全市工业企业和广大干部职工向先进学习，进一步落实党的十六大和市委八届二次全会精神，团结一心，扎实工作，奋发有为，与时俱进，为上海工业经济持续快速健康发展作出新的贡献。

We hope that all the industrial enterprises of this Municipality, broad cadres and staff members and workers will learn from the advanced, further carry out the spirit of the 16th National Congress of the Party and the 2nd Plenary Session of the 8th Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, and unite in one mind, work in a down-to-earth manner, perform duties in a diligent and enterprising way, keep abreast of the times, and make new contributions to the continuously rapid and healthy development of Shanghai industrial economy.

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