法律文本中表条件“的”字结构的英译——基于《民法通则》汉英平行文本的考察.docx

法律文本中表条件“的”字结构的英译——基于《民法通则》汉英平行文本的考察
Introduction
TheChineselegalsystemhasauniquewayofexpressingconditionsinlegaltexts.Onecommonstructureusedisthecharacter“的”(pronouncedas“de”),whichisusedtoindicatevariousconditions.Inthispaper,wewillexplorethetranslationofthe“的”characterwhenitisusedtoexpressconditionsinlegaltexts.WewillprimarilyrelyonexamplesfromtheChineseCivilLawGeneralPrinciplestoexplainthedifferentusesof“的”andhowtheycanbetranslatedintoEnglish.
Background
TheChineselanguageisknownforbeingconciseandhavingalimitednumberofcharacterstoexpresscomplexideas.Oneexampleofthisistheuseof“的”inlegaltextstoindicateconditions.Thecharacter“的”servesasaparticlethatindicatespossession,connection,andmodification.Inlegaltexts,itisusedtoshowconditions,obligations,orrequirementsthatmustbemetforanactiontotakeplace.
Inlegaltranslation,itisimportanttoaccuratelyandclearlyconveythemeaningoftheoriginaltext.However,itcanbedifficulttotranslatethe“的”characterintoEnglishbecauseitcanhavemultiplefunctionsinasentence.Itisessentialtounderstandthecontextinwhichthe“的”characterisusedtoproduceanaccuratetranslation.
Body
The“的”characterisusedinthreedifferentwaystoexpressconditionsinlegaltexts:
1)“的”+noun+“条件”
Thefirstuseof“的”istoindicateaconditionthatmustbemetbeforeanactioncantakeplace.Thisformisusuallyseeninphraseslike“的条件”(indicatingarequirementforanaction)or“的规定”(indicatingaruleforanaction).Forexample,inArticle67oftheChineseCivilLawGeneralPrinciples,itstates:“出卖人有权就最后一次挂牌或者拍卖的标的物进行抵押或者质押，但是应当经买受人同意，或者在拍卖之前标的物的抵押或者质押权利已经约定。”Inthissentence,“经买受人同意”(withtheconsentofthebuyer)isaconditionthatmustbemetbeforethesellercanmortgageorpledgetheitem.
ThetranslationofthisstructureinEnglishcanbeachievedbyusingwordsthatindicatearequirementorrule.Forexample,“subjecttotheconsentofthebuyer”or“providedthatthemortgageorpledgerightsarepreviouslyagreed.”
2)“的”+noun+“权利”
Theseconduseof“的”istoindicatearight.ThisisaverycommonstructurefoundinChineselegaltexts.Inthiscase,the“的”characterconnectsthenounwiththeterm“权利”(right)toindi