首先是同一法律名称,有的译作如此,有的却译作那般,在英语读者看来,有两种英译的同一名称的同一个法,按英语读来竟判若两法,如:
1、原文:中华人民共和国民法通则
译文:甲:GeneralRulesoftheCivilLawofthePeople‘sRepublicofChina
-Shanghai‘sForeignEconomicRulesandRegulations(1991-1992),ShanghaiFarEastPublishers1994,P.15
乙:GeneralPrinciplesoftheCivilLawofthePeople‘sRepublicofChina
-LawsandRegulationsofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaGoverningForeign-RelatedMatters(1949-1990)。LegalSystemPublishingHouseBeijingChina1991,P.33
按:虽仅“rules”与“principles”一字之差,亦已毫厘千里矣。民法的原则不是“民法”本身!
2.原文:中华人民共和国中外合资经营企业法
译文:甲:LawofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaonChinese-ForeignJointVentures
-同上甲
乙:LawofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaonChinese-ForeignEquityJointVentures
-同上乙
3.原文:中华人民共和国中外合作经营企业法
译文:甲:LawofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaonChinese-ForeignCooperativeVentures
乙:LawofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaonChinese-ForeignContractualJointVentures
-同上乙,P.50下
4.原文:中华人民共和国外资企业法
译文:甲:LawofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaonForeignEnterprises
乙:LawofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaonForeignCapitalEnterprises
-同上乙,P.489
按:“foreignenterprises”可以是绝对地“foreign”的企业(包括身为外国法人的企业),其内涵要比今汉语“外资企业”大!
5.原文:中华人民共和国海关对进出上海外高桥保税区货物、运输工具和个人携带物品的管理办法。
译文:甲:ProceduresoftheCustomsofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinafortheControlovertheGoods,MeansofTransportandPersonalArticlesEnteringorLeavingtheShanghaiWaigaoqiaoFreeTradeZone
-同上甲(1994版)
乙:MeasuresoftheCustomsofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaConcerningtheAdministrationoftheGoods,MeansofTransportandArticlesCarriedbyIndividualstobeBroughtintooroutoftheBondedAreaofOuterGaoqiaoinShanghai
-同上乙(1991版)
按:由出版年份看,甲译作于乙译作后三年,在其下划线印刷部分,分明是在同乙译中也用斜体印刷的相应部分唱对台戏,似乎是在搞两家争鸣,在愚弄不通汉语只懂英语的读者。何苦呢?
6.原文:中华人民共和国归侨、侨眷权益保护法
译文:甲:LawofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaontheProtectionoftheRightsandInterestsofReturnedOverseasChineseandTheirRelatives
-Shanghai‘sForeignEconomicRulesandRegulations(1991-1992),ShanghaiFarEastPublishers1994,p.47
乙:LawofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaontheProtectionofRightsandInterestsofReturnedOverseasChineseandtheFamilyMembersofOverseasChinese
-LawsandRegulationsofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaGoverningForeign-RelatedMatters,ChinaLegalSystemPublishingHouse,Beijing1991,p.1945.
按:细心的读者一定发现了,以上甲、乙两译不仅文字不同——其内涵也有50%大相径庭。按汉语原文,保护对象侨是“归侨”和“侨(不问归与不归)的眷”,译文甲的内涵却是以“归侨”和“归侨的(Their)亲眷(Relatives)”为保护对象的;按译文乙,则其所内涵的对象是“归侨”和“海外华侨的家属”了,从而译文甲在英语读者面前大大歪曲了原文!
7.原文:上海市企业国有资产产权登记实施办法
译文:甲:ProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityontheImplementationofEnterprises‘PropertyRightOverState-ownedAssets
-Supplement(Chinese-English)NewLawsandRegulationsMonthly,1997.1,p.5
乙:ProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityontheImplementationofRegistrationofEnterprises‘PropertyRightOverState-ownedAssets
-lbid,p.18
按:稀奇稀奇真稀奇,同样这项《办法》,同样刊载在同一期《新法规月刊》1997增刊1期中的该办法名称英译,却在第5页上是一个样,而在182页上却另是一个样了。
其次,是法律(广义)名称大小写原有一定的规矩,奈译者时而不懂或不守规则,舛误起矣,如:
8.InterimProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityontheIntakeofExpertsFrom(应作from)abroad
-Shanghai‘sforeignEconomicRulesandRegulations(1993-1994),p.3
9.Articlel(purposeandBasis)
ThepresentProceduresareformulatedinaccordancewiththe“proceduresontheAdministrationofRegistrationofEnterprises‘PropertyRightOver(应作小写over)State-ownedAssets”……
-Supplement(Chinese-English)NewLawsandRegulationsMonthly,1997,1,p.183
10.MeasuresoftheCustomsofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaConcerningtheAdministrationoftheGoods,MeansofTransport,andArticlesCarriedbyIndividualstobe(应作大写Be)Broughtintoorout(须大写)oftheBondedAreaofOuterGaoqiaoinShanghai
-LawsandRegulationsofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaGoverningForeign-RelatedMatters,ChinaLegalSystemPublishingHouse,Beijing1991.7,p.11
三是介词(或准介词)之使用失当,如:查表示法律规范调整的对象,《新法规月刊》增刊1997年第1期共刊载15个条例、规定之类,几乎都通过介词“on”,只有一个例外用“for”:
RegulationsofShanghaiMunicipalityontheAdministrationofMudflat
ProvisionsofShanghaiMunicipalityontheControlofHygieneoftheFoodSoldonUrbanandRuralFairs
RegulationsofShanghaiMunicipalityonMotherandInfantHealthCare
RegulationsofShanghaiMunicipalityontheFlowofTalentedPersonnel
RegulationsofShanghaiMunicipalityonDrainageAdministration
RegulationsonShanghaiWaigaoqiaoFreeTradeZone
RulesofShanghaiMunicipalityfortheImplementationoftheRegulationsonFamilyPlanning(例外)
ProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityontheRegistrationofInstitutions
ProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityontheAdministrationofConstructionProjectContracting
ProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityontheAdministrationoftheTemporaryResidencePermitforHongKongandMacaoResidentsandOverseasChinese
ProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityontheGrantingofLand-useRight
ProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityonSocialRelief
ProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityontheManagementofPublicLibraries
ProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityontheImplementationofEnterprises‘PropertyRightOverState-ownedAssets
ProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityontheProtectionofBasicFarmland
其中的例外用“for”,含义与“on”不同:表示调整对象,不如由“on”表达来得贴切。其次“on”只有两个字母(而“for”由三个字母拼缀而成),更符合法律名称应尽量言简意赅,短小精悍的要求。遗憾的是,拾“on”而取“for”的往往还不少哩。例如上海远东出版社1994年版的Shanghai‘sForeignEconomicRulesandRegulations(1991-1992)一书共有十个“法规规章”,其中表示其调整对象而使用介词“on”的仅两例,而使用“for”的反而有七例:
ProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityfortheImplementationof……
InterimProvisionsfortheControlofShanghaiMetalExchange
InterimProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityforEncouragementofNonlocalInvestmentsinthePudongNewArea
ProceduresoftheCustomsofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinafortheControlofGoods……
RulesoftheShanghaiCustomsHousefortheImplementationofsurveillanceover,andLevyoforExemptionfrom……
ProceduresforControls……
Rulesfortheimplementationof……
为什么不用首选“on”而退而求其次用“for”呢?更何况还有三处是采用那累赘不堪的“Concerning”呢:
InterimProceduresConcerningtheExamination,Approvaland……
以下弥足珍贵的一例,可以替代在“on”与“governing”之间左右摇摆、举棋不定而终于匆匆了事的译审行为:
RegulationsofShanghaiMunicipalityonGoverningTradeUnionsinChinese-foreignJointVentures
于兹场合,即使用了都尚不能算错之时,这些词(for/concerning/governing)绝对不能列为首选(governing一词很正宗,现在却并不多用,而在四十年代初笔者是奉之为首选的)—首选当然是“on”了。
四、存在的其他问题,如:
1、多用不必用的governing/concerning,如:
(1)原译:InterimMeasuresConcerningStrengtheningAdministrationofImportsbyAir
-LawsandRegulationsofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaGoverningForeign-RelatedMatters(1949-1990)
ChinaLegalPublishingHouse,Beijing1991,p.1649
改译:InterimMeasuresStrengtheningtheRegulationofAirImports
(2)原译:LawsGoverningForeign-RelatedMattersPromulgatedBefore……
-Ibid.,p.13
改译:Foreign-relatedLawsPromulgatedBefore……
2.宜前置的名词附加语不前置(1),宜后置的不后置(2)
(1)原译:RegulationsofShanghaiMunicipalityonEnvironmentalProtection
-ShanghaiForeignEconomicRulesandRegulations(1993-1994),p.4
改译:Shanghai‘sEnvironmentProtectionRegulations
(2)原译:RegulationsofShanghaiMunicipalityonConsumerLegitimateRightsandInterestsProtection-Ibid.,p.5
改译:ShanghaisRegulationsontheProtectionofConsumersLegitimateRightsandInterests
3.应用复数而误用单数,如下例“Provision”系“Provisions”之误:
Provisiongoverningthe(sic)LayingofSubmarineCablesandPipelines
-LawsandRegulationsofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaGoverningForeign-RelatedMatters
(1949-1990),Vol.III,p.12
4.重要词语误译,如:
原文:上海外高桥保税区管理办法
原译:ProceduresofShanghaiMunicipalityfortheAdministrationoftheShanghaiWaigaoqiaoFreeTradeZone
-ShanghaiForeignEconomicRulesandRegulations(1982-1990),Shanghaipeople‘sPublishingHouse1991,p.563
应译:MeasuresofShanghaiMunicipalityfortheAdministrationoftheShanghaiWaigaoqiaoBondedArea
按:原译“FreeTradeZone”明明是“自由贸易区”而根本不是什么“保税区”:“保税区”明明不是什么“FreeTradeZone”而是“BondedArea”,此乃常识的常识,译者有所不知!如此乱翻误译,其职业道德何在?耐人寻味!
5.译文漏字以致文理不通,如下列“Implementation”与“Foreign”之间漏了一个“of”
RulesfortheImplementationForeignExchangeControlRelatingtoIndividuals
-LawsandRegulationsofthePeople‘sRepublicofChinaGoverningForeign-RelatedMatters,Vol.2,p.9