我国《合同法》英译文评述—要约及其撤回与撤销

　　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 make offers”。“for”在这里表目的，而“requesting other parties to make offers”是“proposal”的内容，故删去介词“for”。“principal”用在这里属误用。“principal”在法律英语中意为“委托人/被代理人”。“price forms”应为“price lists”，“public notices of auction and tender”应为“auction invitation and invitation to bid”;“etc.”在法律英文中是一个非正式的词，常用“among other things/factors”和“include but without limitation to”来替代之。

　　诚鹰译文：

　　A proposal inviting other people to make offers is to be considered as an invitation to offer. Invitations to offer include but without limitation to mailed price lists, auction invitations, invitations to bid, prospectuses and commercial advertisements.

　　第十七条　要约可以撤回。撤回要约的通知应当在要约到达受要约人之前或者与要约同时到达受要约人。

　　英文译文：

　　Article 17 An offer may be withdrawn, if the withdrawal notice reaches the offeree before or at the same time when the offer arrives.

　　分析及推荐译文：

　　“withdrawal notice”意思是“取款通知”，这里属误用，可改用“notice of withdrawal”或直接用“withdrawal”。“when”在这里也属误用，与“at the same time”匹配的结构应为“as”。表示“到达”，译文中分别用到“reach”和“arrive”两个词，而这两个词的法律含义是不完全相同的，建议只用“reach”。

　　诚鹰译文：

　　An offer may be withdrawn if the withdrawal reaches the offeree before or at the same time as the offer (reaches the offeree).

　　第十九条　有下列情形之一的，要约不得撤销：

　　(一)要约人确定了承诺期限或者以其他形式明示要约不可撤销;

　　(二)受要约人有理由认为要约是不可撤销的，并已经为履行合同作了准备工作。

　　英文译文：

　　Article 19 An offer may not be revoked, if

　　(1) the offeror indicates a fixed time for acceptance or otherwise explicitly states that the offer is irrevocable; or

　　(2) the offeree has reasons to rely on the offer as being irrevocable and has made preparation for performing the contract.

　　分析及推荐译文：

　　译文“the offeror indicates a fixed time for acceptance or otherwise explicitly states that the offer is irrevocable”的意思是“要约人确定了承诺期限或明确表示该要约为不可撤销的”，与原文表达的意思存在逻辑上的显著差异。原文中，“要约人确定承诺期限”只是“明示要约不可撤销”的一种方式，而不是与后者并列的独立方式。“the offeree has reasons”表达的意思不够客观，不是法律用语。法律英语中常表述为“it is reasonable for sb, to do sth.”，这里包含一个“reasonable person”的法律判断标准。

　　诚鹰译文：

　　An offer cannot be revoked:

　　(i) if the offeror indicates, whether by stating a fixed time for acceptance or otherwise, that the offer is irrevocable; or

　　(ii) if it was reasonable for the offeree to rely on the offer as being irrevocable and the offeree has done preparations for the performance of the contract.