法律翻譯是翻譯中的高端服務,它主要服務律師,外資企業(yè),進出口公司等社會上層群體,質量要求和技術難度都相當高。法律翻譯作為法律語言學主要研究內(nèi)容之一,包括口譯和筆譯,在國內(nèi)、國際社會生活中法律翻譯都起日益重要的作用。法律翻譯工作除了對譯員及相關的條件提出較高的要求外,還受制于法律語言本身的特點。法律翻譯不同于普通文件翻譯,要求較高。很多譯員因資歷不夠,在法律翻譯過程中經(jīng)常出錯,主要錯誤有以下幾種:
一、拼寫或識詞錯誤
書寫或識別英文詞匯時,將單詞拼錯,或將外形相近的詞匯混淆。
例: defendant (被告), respondent (答辯人,<上訴、離婚等案件的>被告), dependent (附屬的,受撫/贍養(yǎng)的;受撫/贍養(yǎng)人)
對當事人雙方的訴訟標的,第三人認為有獨立請求權的,有權提起訴訟。
譯文:A third party who deems himself entitled to an independent claim with regard to the subject matter of both parties has the right to initiate an action.
二、語法錯誤
例: On June 4, 2012, a 29-year-old Canadian porn actor suspected with killing and dismembering (肢解) a Chinese student in Montreal, Canada, was arrested in Berlin, local police authorities confirmed. 當?shù)鼐阶C實,2012年6月4日,涉嫌在加拿大蒙特利爾殺害并肢解一名中國留學生的一名29歲加拿大色情男演員在柏林被捕。
修改要點:with→of。suspect sb. of doing sth.懷疑某人做人事。
三、術語錯誤
例: 對當事人雙方的訴訟標的,第三人認為有獨立請求權的,有權提起訴訟。A third party who deems himself entitled to an independent request with regard to the subject matter of both parties has the right to bring a prosecution.
修改要點:request → claim; bring a prosecution (刑事訴訟;控訴方,公訴方)→ initiate an action。
四、理解錯誤
例: In the determination of any criminal charge against him, everyone shall be entitled to the following minimum guarantees, in full equality: … (e) To examine, or have examined, the witnesses against him and to obtain the attendance and examination of witnesses on his behalf under the same conditions as witnesses against him.
原譯文:在判定對他提出的任何刑事指控時,人人完全平等地有資格享受以下的最低限度的保證:… (戊)訊問或業(yè)已訊問對他不利的證人,并使對他有利的證人在與對他不利的證人相同的條件下出庭和受訊問。
修改為:判定對他→判定對任何人; (戊)訊問或業(yè)已訊問…受訊問→由本人或讓其他人詢問對其不利的證人,并使對其有利的證人與對其不利的證人在相同條件下出庭和接受詢問。
五、表述錯誤 (語言不地道,用詞不當?shù)?
例: Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized. (set forth, 闡明,提出)
原譯文:人人有權要求一種社會的和國際的秩序, 在這種秩序中, 本宣言所載的權利和自由能獲得充分實現(xiàn)。
修改為:人人有權要求一種能充分實現(xiàn)本宣言所載權利和自由的社會和國際秩序。
六、過于繁瑣( redundant)
例: 人民依照法律規(guī)定,通過各種途徑和形式,管理國家事務,管理經(jīng)濟和文化事業(yè),管理社會事務。
原譯文:The people administer state affairs and manage economic, cultural and social affairs through various channels and in various ways in accordance with the law.
修改提示:漢語擅用排比,英文無此習慣。此處可以將各種“事務”連起來,一氣呵成。
修改為:The people administer state, economic, cultural and social affairs through …
七、濫用標點
例: 女職工有權向當?shù)貏趧硬块T提出申訴。受理申訴的部門應當作出決定。
A woman employee has the right to appeal (申訴) to the local labor department, which shall make a decision. (逗號不能刪除)
例: 企業(yè)和政府有關部門的領導干部,因工作過失給企業(yè)和國家造成較大損失的,由政府主管部門或有關上級機關給予行政處分。
原譯文:Leading cadres of enterprises and governmental departments concerned, who have caused the enterprises and the state big losses due to work faults, shall be disciplined by the competent government agency or its superior agency.
修改提示:cause sb. sth. 結構不當;定語從句的逗號使用不當。
修改為:Leading cadres of enterprises and governmental departments concerned who have caused big losses to the profit-seeking enterprises and the state owing to their negligence in work shall be disciplined by the competent government agency or its superior agency.
修改說明:(1) cause sb. sth. 結構應當改為cause sth. to sb.結構。
(2) 去掉定語從句的逗號,因為:限制性定語從句起明確的限定作用,在句中不可缺少,否則會影響句子的含義。非限制性定語從句通常起補充說明作用,刪除后一般也不影響句子的主要思想;有時相當于一個分句;修飾具有唯一性的名詞時,要用非限制性定語從句。例如:
When he was 18, he went to a technical school in London, which was the largest city he had ever seen. (逗號不能刪除)
Then he met Mary, who (and she) invited him to a party. (逗號不能刪除)