商務英語合同中的短語特點

商務英語合同中的短語特點

1　使用專門的短語表達合同英語慣有的含義

商務合同中經(jīng)常使用一些約定俗成的專門短語來表達某些慣有的含義，最常見的這類短語有：

whereas　鑒于

in witness whereof　作為協(xié)議事項的證據(jù)

now this presents witness　茲特立約為據(jù)

for and on behalf of...　代表某人

per pro. = per procurationem　代表代理

2　名詞性短語居多

相比之下動詞詞組，無論是在使用數(shù)量和結構的復雜性程度上都不及名詞詞組，因此在商務合同中出現(xiàn)本該出現(xiàn)動詞短語的部分卻轉化成了名詞短語，顯得很輕巧。

例如：

The Contractor shall not knowingly do or omit to do anything which may adversely affect an orderly transfer of responsibility for provision of the Services.（句中的transfer responsibility轉化成了transfer of responsibility，而provide Services轉化成了provision of the Services）

3　動詞短語轉化成介詞、形容詞短語

動詞短語轉化成介詞、形容詞短語是商務合同句式表達的一大亮點。

例如：

support轉化成in support of；violate轉化成為in violate of；default轉化成in default of；break轉化成in break of。

All such minutes，records and reports shall be on file at the FIB offices．該句中“存檔”用的是“on file”而不是用的動詞短語“be filed”。

常見的商務合同中動詞轉化成形容詞短語的句子有：include轉化為be inclusive of；exclude常轉化為be exclusive of，如：

Your salary inclusive of any overtime payment from the date of commencement of your contract will be USD AMOUNT IN FIGURE (USD Amount in Words) and will be paid in arrears at the end of the month.

The foregoing states the sole and exclusive liability of the parties hereto for infringement of patents, copyrights, mask works, trade secrets, trademarks and other proprietary rights, whether direct or contributory.

4　常用短語來替代一些從句

有時英文商務合同中為了讓句子更簡單，會使用一些短語來替代某些定語、狀語、主語從句。

例如：

All rights and all design elements resulting from the Services shall vest in and be the absolute property of Party A．該句中的分詞短語“resulting from the Services”就起到了使句子結構緊密，表達簡單的效果，并且替代了定語從句“which result from the Services”。

All properties of the Contractor while at the Premises shall be at the risk of Contractor and the Department shall accept no liability for any loss or damage however occurring thereto or caused thereby except where any such loss or damage was caused or contributed to by any act, neglect or default of any Servant of thereby Crown at the Premises acting in the course of his employment.

上面這個長句中的“however occurring thereto or caused thereby”就替代了狀語從句“however it will occur thereto or be caused thereby”。