为方便阅读,本文对我国《合同法》的相关条文及英文译文进行罗列分析。
第十四条 要约是希望和他人订立合同的意思表示,该意思表示应当符合下列规定:
(一)内容具体确定;
(二)表明经受要约人承诺,要约人即受该意思表示约束。
英文译文:
Article 14 An offer is a proposal hoping to enter into a contract with other parties. The proposal shall comply with the following stipulations:
(1) Its contents shall be detailed and definite;
(2) It indicates the proposal of the offeror to be bound in case of acceptance.
分析及推荐译文:
本条的翻译很明显是将中文意思直接译成英语的,存在句法错误,也不符合英文的表达习惯。译文中“hoping to”的逻辑主语为“a proposal”显然不对,如果用动词“hope”, 那逻辑主语只能是人,如the offeror。在表达习惯方面,英语中表达“条件关系”通常用“if”, “providing/provided”等,法律英语还经常用“where”来替代“if”。此外,最后一个“proposal”应为“intention”。
诚鹰译文:
A proposal for concluding a contract with another person constitutes an offer if
(i) it is specific and definite; and
(ii) it indicates the intention of the offeror to be bound in case of acceptance (made) by the offeree.
第十五条 要约邀请是希望他人向自己发出要约的意思表示。寄送的价目表、拍卖公告、招标公告、招股说明书、商业广告等为要约邀请。
英文译文:
Article 15 An invitation for offer is a proposal for requesting other parties to make offers to the principal. Price forms mailed, public notices of auction and tender, prospectuses and commercial advertisements, etc. are invitations for offer
分析及推荐译文:
动词“invite”常接续“to do”的结构,故其名词短语“ invitation for offer”应为“invitation to offer”或“invitation to