从right of fixation的汉译看法律术语的翻译

张法连 赵永平 周宇晴

摘 要：法律术语的翻译是法律翻译的关键。术语翻译的准确性和规范性直接影响对于西方法律的研究、涉外法律工作的开展以及法律语言自身的发展。文章主要结合法律术语翻译的理论和实践，以right of fixation等法律术语的汉译为例，就目前误译的法律术语进行分析，并参照源语和相关资料提出可行的规范译法。

关键词：法律术语，准确性，规范性

中图分类号：D90-055；H159 文献标识码：A DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1673-8578.2018.03.010

On the Legal Term Translation from “Right of Fixation”//ZHANG Falian， ZHAO Yongping， ZHOU Yuqing

Abstract： The legal term is a fundamental tool for learning different legal systems. The accuracy and standardization of the terms are required during translation， for they directly affect the research on the western law， foreign communications and the development of forensic language. This paper analyzes some inaccurate and wrong translations and provides standard versions based on source language and related materials.

Keywords： legal terms， accuracy， standardization

收稿日期：2018-01-20

基金项目：中国政法大学新兴学科建设项目；研究生跨学科教育教学改革项目成果之一

作者简介：张法连（1969—）男，博士，中国政法大学教授、博士生导师，研究方向为法律语言与文化。通信方式：franklaw168 @163.com。 赵永平（1980—），男，中国政法大学法律语言与文化博士研究生。周宇晴（1994—），女，中国政法大学法律翻译硕士研究生。

引 言

法律术语的翻译是法律翻译的精髓和核心问题，更是要求最为严格的一类翻译，翻译的准确性关系到翻译质量的高低，同时也影响中外法律文化交流和法律翻译的发展进步。近年来，随着十八届四中全会提出加强涉外法律工作，以及“一带一路”倡议对法律英语的迫切要求，法律翻译的重要性陡然提升。但与此同时，法律术语翻译存在诸多不规范现象，甚至有些误译的术语如今得到广泛流传，这严重损害了法律翻译“严肃、公正、严谨”的形象。法律术语的翻译不应闭门造车，而应该遵循特定的理论和步骤：首先应该根据具体语境弄清英美法律术语的准确定义，然后把英美法律术语本土化，即在本国法律中寻找能够与之对等的翻译。然而，针对两个法律体系无法对等的术语，可以进行合理创造[1]。以下以五个法律术语为例，具体分析法律术语的翻译过程，从而为术语翻译提供规范的翻译思路，确保法律术语翻译的精确性、专业性、权威性和严肃性。

一 译例分析

1right of fixation

目前，该术语的常见翻译版本为“录制权”。就fixation而言，这个词在各大词典中的解释均与“录制”无关，如《朗文当代高级英语辞典》《牛津英语高级词典》中都解释为“痴迷”“不正常的依恋”及“固着”。

首先从一段描述中来看这条术语的由来：“In 1994， the United States established laws prohibiting the making and distribution of ‘bootleg recordings of live music concerts. While strongly criticized by many commentators， these provisions establishing a ‘right of fixation for musicians have been upheld against repeated constitutional challenges.”[2]由此可知，結合特定的历史背景，该术语表达的是禁止私自制作和经销现场音乐会音像录制品的内容。

维基百科（Wikipedia）有加拿大相关法律对fixation的解释：“Under the Canadian Copyright Act （R.S.， 1985， c.C-42）， there is no definition for fixation nor is it required that every work be ‘fixed. Under s.3（1）（1.1）， however， any literary， dramatic， musical or artistic work， communicated by telecommunication， ‘is fixed even if it is fixed simultaneously with its communication. ... Today， a live broadcast that is being simultaneously recorded， is protected by copyright. The definition of fixation within Canadian Admiral Corp. v Rediffusion Inc.， remains the valid.”[3]从这段话中可以看出，fixation在版权法领域并没有相关的定义，但是在实际运用当中是指作品经由电信传播过即为fixed的状态。

“Under Part II， Performers Rights， fixation is also addressed. The performer retains certain rights to reproductions of his/her performance depending on whether the performance was fixed or not. If the performance is not fixed， the performer has the sole right to communicate it to the public by telecommunication， to perform it in public （where it is communicated to the public by telecommunication otherwise than by communication signal）， and to fix it in any material form.”这段话强调表演内容若不是fixed的状态，则表演者有排他性的权利经由电信手段传播录制的表演内容，或通过直接表演向公众传播。

故该术语强调的是有无权利传播经由电信播送过的音像节目等内容，而原译“录制权”则表示“录音录像的权利”，事实上录音录像如果只供个人学习、研究或者欣赏则属于合理使用范畴，是被法律所允许的，但在录音录像后未经许可传播出去才会涉及是否违法违规[4]，所以该术语翻译成“录制传播权”要比“录制权”更加准确。

2third degree

当看到third degree这个词的时候，大部分译者会觉得特别简单，直接翻译成“第三等级”“第三级别”之类的意思。例如，thirddegree burns三度烧伤，thirddegree murder三级谋杀，这是third degree作为形容词来修饰名词。但语境不同时，third degree的含义则大相径庭。例句：The accused refused to confess despite being subjected to the third degree for two whole days.句中third degree以名词形式存在，很显然此时不应该翻译为“第三级别/等级”之类的意思。查阅专业的法律辞典之后，发现其含义为Long and harsh questioning， especially by police， to obtain information or a confession。The third degree is a euphemism for torture （“inflicting of pain， physical or mental， to extract confessions or statements”）。由此，可以得出其含义：为了获取信息或者让嫌疑人坦白，公检法机关进行长时间严苛的讯问。该词是torture的委婉词。而torture在《牛津英汉高级词典》中的意思：any act by which severe pain or suffering， whether physical or mental， is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or her a third person information or a confession， punishing him or her for an act he or she or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed， or intimidating or coercing him or her or a third person， or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind， when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity發现其含义和我们常有所闻的“刑讯逼供”非常相似。刑讯逼供是指国家司法机关工作人员（含纪检、监察等）采用肉刑或变相肉刑乃至精神刑等残酷的方式折磨被讯问人的肉体或精神，以获取其供述的一种极恶劣的刑事司法审讯方法。至此，笔者认为完全可以将third degree连同torture都翻译为“刑讯逼供”。

3royalty bonus

该术语普遍被译为“超额使用费”，其翻译依据是“royalty在法律英语中的意思是‘知识产权使用费，指因使用了他人的知识产权、版权等而缴纳的费用，如royalty bonus超额使用费”。[5]

《元照英美法词典》[6]中对这个术语的解释为：“指油、气租约中约定以比通常情况更高的使用费作为对价。”很明显，该词典的解释不全面。就royalty这个词而言，英文意思是指知识产权方面，而中文翻译则是油气租约方面，中英文的解释并不对应。

《美国传统词典》[7]（American Heritage Dictionary）中关于royalty bonus的解释为：“A sum of money that is paid by a corporation in excess of interest or royalties charged for the granting of a privilege or a loan to that corporation. 由公司付给因授予特权或贷款给本公司的利息或版税以外的一笔钱。”该解释最贴近这个术语的本来意思，但是此释义并未强调多付出的钱是因为“超额使用”，而将其解释为“红利”。

《布萊克法律词典》[8]中bonus定义为：“A gratuity. A premium paid to a grantor or vendor. An extra consideration given for what is received. Any premium or advantage； an occasional extra dividend. A premium paid by a company for a charter or other franchises. ‘A definite sum to be paid at one time， for a loan of money for a specified period， distinct from and independently of the interest.Association v. Wilcox， 24 Conn. 147. A bonus is not a gift or gratuity， but a sum paid for services， or upon some other consideration， but in addition to or in excess of that which would ordinarily be given. Kenicott v. Wayne County， 10 Wall. 452， 21 L. Ed. 319.”由此可知，bonus是指“额外的报酬、补偿费、对价”。同样，此处的解释依然没有体现“超额使用”的情形。

另外，Sun微系统公司的乔尔·珀斯德曼（Joel Postman）指出：“Companies that engage in businesses with the potential to generate patentsbusinesses with engineers， programmers， developers， and designers for examplealmost always require employees to agree to assign to the company any patents created on the job. Many companies will pay an employee who is awarded patent in connection with their work a small bonus. While this can be seen as employee recognition， or reward for a job well done， it is often done for an entirely different reason. Although there is some debate on this point， many attorneys believe that the bonus constitutes ‘consideration （a term in contract law） and strengthens the companys claim to ownership of the patent.”[9]通过这段话可以得知，公司通过给付报酬来获得雇员在工作中有可能取得的专利技术。

综上，royalty bonus这个术语翻译成“超额使用费”并不准确，译成“知识产权使用津贴”，或者“专利使用补贴”更加准确。

4remoteness of damage

该术语有众多翻译版本，其中出现频率最高的两种翻译分别为“损害之疏远”与“间接伤害”，但都不准确，第一种译法属于直译，读者无法知晓汉语译文的含义；而第二种译法则完全是错译。

《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》[10]对remoteness of damage的解释为“the extent to which a defendant is liable for the consequences of his wrongful act or omission”，意思是被告因其不当行为或疏忽造成不利后果因而承当责任的程度。而Yahoo[11]上对该术语的解释为：“After determining that the defendant did cause damage to the plaintiff， it must be established how far the legal responsibility for that damage ought to be attributed back to the defendant”以及“In between the admitted wrongdoer and innocent victim， it can be argued that the wrongdoer should have to bear the loss”此处是说被告就其对原告造成损失的赔偿的责任范围。

综上可以看出，该短语是说明被告人应当承担赔偿受害人损害的责任的，因此可以把该术语翻译成“损害赔偿”。

5outcome responsibility

翻译法律术语，首先应查阅outcome responsibility的英文释义：The view that those who cause harm are responsible for it even in the absence of fault. “Outcome responsibility serves to foster a sense of identity because it does not stretch indefinitely into the future but enables each of us to claim for ourselves， or to share with a few others， outcomes of limited extent， whether successes or failures. Yet outcome responsibility for harm to another does not by itself create a duty to compensate. The form that our responsibility for an outcome should take remains an open question. An apology or telephone call will often be enough. But outcome responsibility is a basis on which the law can erect a duty to compensate if there is reason to do so. There will be some reason to do so if the conduct in question is socially undesirable and if there is also reason to treat the harm suffered as the infringement of a right.”

综上可知，造成伤害的人即使在没有过错的情况下也应负责任。“outcome responsibility有助于培养一种认同感，因为它不会无限期地延伸到未来，而是使我们每个人都能够为自己主张或与其他人在一定限度内分享结果，不管是成功还是失败。然而，对另一方造成伤害的outcome responsibility本身并不构成赔偿责任。通常，道歉或打电话就足够了。但是，如果这么做是有理有据的话，outcome responsibility是法律可以建立赔偿义务的基础。如果有问题的行为在社会上是不受欢迎的，并且还有理由将所遭受的损害视为对权利的侵犯，那么这么做是在情理之中的。”

根据英文释义，outcome responsibility较为合理的译法有“结果义务”和“结果责任”。“结果义务”是指合同履行完毕应当以服务提供人完成并交付特定工作结果为标志，其核心是结果实现义务。“结果义务”所适用的语境是在服务合同内，是以合同过程为线索，以先合同义务、过程义务和结果义务为框架的服务合同义务群体系。

二 结 语

法律翻译是法律英语学科体系的重要分支。法律翻译人才是涉外法律人才的一种。法律英语复合型人才是涉外法律人才的必经阶段[12]。法律术语的特征决定了法律术语的翻译必须遵循特定的翻译步骤，这要求译者不仅需要有坚实的翻译功底，还应该对各大法律体系有着大致全面的了解，在此基础上通过对源语的分析，与本国法律术语进行匹配和创造才能做好法律术语的翻译工作。

参考文献

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[4] 中华人民共和国著作权法[EB/OL]. [2017-07-13].http：//www.lawlib.com/law/law_view.asp？id=310803.

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[6] 薛波. 元照英美法词典 [M]. 北京： 法律出版社， 2003.

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[8] Garner B A. Blacks Law Dictionary[M].9th ed. St. Paul： West Publishing Co.， 2009.

[9] Do any companies give a bonus for patents or trademarks filed？ If so， how much？[EB/OL].[2017-07-04].https：//www.quora.com/DoanycompaniesgiveabonusforpatentsortrademarksfiledIfsohowmuch.

[10] Hornby A S. Oxford Advanced Learners EnglishChinese Dictionary[M].7th ed.Beijing：The Commercial Press， 2009.

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[12] 張法连.新时代法律英语复合型人才培养机制探究[J].外语教学，2018（3）：44-46.