“账户”还是“帐户”?

在电脑上输入"zhàng hù"时，不同的汉字输入法输出的词语并不一样。微软拼音输出的是"账户"，全拼输入法输出的是"帐户"，"账"与"帐"发音相同，字形相似，到底应该写做"帐户"还是"账户"，着实令人混淆。

查检商务印书馆1978年版的《现代汉语词典》，在"zhàng"条目下并无"账"字，只有两个"帐"。帐1指"用布、纱、或绸子做成的遮蔽用的东西"。帐2后括号中并列"�ぁ①~"两个异体字，有三个义项，分别为：①关于货币、货物出入的记载；②指帐簿；③债；后面列举了几个词语"帐户"、"帐单"等。可见，"��"与"�~"的两个意思在1978年时统一由"帐"字表达。

但通过网络检索发现，"zhàng hù"的汉字形式并不统一，总的来说， "账户"与"帐户" 都在大范围地使用，以使用后者的略为多一些。另外，"账号"和"帐号"的出现频率之比基本维持在3：7左右。这种混乱的情况在"网下"的现实生活中也不少见。笔者发现银行、邮局的相关凭条上"账户（号）"被写成"帐户（号）"的现象也不少。工商银行个人业务凭证上使用的是"账号"，存款凭证上写的却是"帐号"。建设银行电汇凭证使用的是"账号"。邮局的存取款凭单、开户专用凭单使用的都是"账户"，而邮政汇款单上却又写着"收款人地址（或开户局及帐号）"。

汉字造字法构成的主体是形声，"账"字从"贝"，"帐"字从"巾"，两者的意义是完全不搭界的。《说文解字》曰：帐，张也，从巾，长声。《说文》中有"帐"，而无"账"字，说明"帐"的出现比"账"字早。《说文》对"贝"字的解释是这样的：贝，海介虫也，居陆名�Y，在水名�K，象形，古者货贝而宝，龟周而有泉，至秦废贝行钱，凡贝之属皆从贝。可见，虽然《说文》中没有"账"字，但"账"字以"贝"为义符，表示与"银钱、货物"相关的意义应该是不错的。
"Zhàng户"、" Zhàng号"的基本义分别指"存取钱财的户头"及"存取钱财的户头号码"，都与"银钱、货物"相关。1996年《现代汉语词典》修订本、2002年的增补本与2005年第五版都对1978年版的这一条目作了修改，把兼表"织物"与"银钱进出的记载"两义的"帐"分开，明确了"帐"与"账"的分工：表示"织物"的"Zhàng"则写成"帐"，"Zhàng户"与" Zhàng号"分别写作"账户"与"账号"。
 
http://www.jwc.fudan.edu.cn:8080/yayan/showArticle.php?akey=177

“其他”“其它”是否要分

"其他"本写作"其佗"。因古文字中"它"往往蜕变为"也"，结果，"其佗"成了"其他"。而"它"的本义是蛇，后借用为第三人称代词，"蛇"字另加了"虫"旁，于是，"其他"也可写成"其它"。在古代典籍中，"其他""其它"都可用，两者不仅同音同义，而且用法也一样，既可指人，也可指物。直到"五四"前后，受西方语言的影响，才逐渐出现分工的趋势，"其他"指人，"其它"指物。

然而，事实证明，这种分工并没有多少积极意义，相反增加了学习负担，所以王力先生说"实在没有必要"，他认为"无论指人或指事物，一律可以写作'其他'"。《现代汉语词 典》在解释"其它"时，释文便是"同'其他'"，表现出明显的倾向性。不久前出版的《现代汉语异形词规范词典》，更明确提出"其他""其它"是一组异形词，"其他"包孕"其它"，因此应以"其他"为规范词形。

(摘自《咬文嚼字》2005年第1期)

 

http://www.pep.com.cn/200503/ca648420.htm

hereto与thereto等

按：原文首发复旦bbs法学院版，是针对某同学提问的回帖的回帖。原回帖同学提到here和there的区别主要在时态上。

hereto和thereto与时态无关，而是指代的内容的区别。同一句子可以同时含有hereof和thereof.更何况法律英语中现在时态用得远比其他时态多，这个特点在合同中体现得更为明显。

here/there+of/in/to/from的意思是指of/into/from something.具体something指什么呢？ 这就是here和there的区别。用lz的例子说明：

1. The consultant will deliver to client all information and all copies thereof...when client requests....
这里，应客户要求提供的是什么？
所有的资料以及这些资料的副本。thereof=of all information。句子可以改写成：deliver to client all information and all copies of such information.

2.Party A used to maintain the confidentiality of such information prior to the date hereof.

这里，hereof修饰的是日期，哪个日期呢？本文档的日期。当然，一般这里的"本文档"是指"本合同/协议/契约"等等。

如果这样一句句子：
Party A shall provide to the client all documents and the copies thereof on or before the date hereof.
有了上面的解释就好理解了吧？

可以这样帮助理解：here指"较近的"，there指"较远的"。那么，在一篇文档中，文档本身就是"较近的"，因为什么东西都在它之下，而文档中所指的内容相对于文档就是"较远的"。因此，凡是文档中看到here的，都是指"本文档的"，而there则是根据上下文判断其具体指代，前面说的是documents,那么就是of the documents，如果前面说的是information，那么就使of such information。

当然，简明英语运动提倡法律业者少用、不用这样的古旧词。

to the extent (2)

The possible approaches for the translation of "to the extent" into Chinese in a legal context. Let examples speak:

1. Party A desires to faciliate the Transfer contemplated by the ETA by waiving any rights Party A may have in the Payment and releaseing Party B from any obligations Party B may have to Party A, in relation to the Payment to the extent such rights and obligations exist;

甲方希望放弃其对款项可能享有的任何权利并免除银行就款项可能对甲方负有的任何义务（若该等权利和义务存在）促成股权转让协议所拟转让。

2. to the extent that Party B has any rights, claims, title, and interests in Bank's obligations under the Agreement, Party B, in consideration of the waiver and release contemplated hereunder, has assigned any rights Party B may have in relation to Bank's obligations under the Agreement to Party A to the extent that such obligations exist.

如果乙方对银行在协议下的义务享有任何权利、主张、所有权和利益，鉴于本协议项下拟议的弃权和责任免除，乙方已向甲方转让其就银行在协议下义务可能享有的任何权利（若该等义务存在）。

3. Party A hereby waives any and all right, claims, title, and interests in the Payment and releases Party B from any and all olibgations to Party A in relation to the Payment to the extent such rights, claims, title, interests and obligations exist.

甲方谨此放弃对款项的任何和所有权利、主张、所有权和利益，并免除乙方就款项对甲方负有的任何和所有义务（若该等权利、主张、所有权、利益和义务存在）。

4. To the extent that Party B has any rights, claims, title and interests in Bank's obligations under the Agreement and the Deposit in Party A,...
如果乙方对银行在协议下义务以及存于甲方的存款所享有的任何权利、主张、所有权和利益，

暧昧事宜

汉语注重意合，同一句句子使用不同的句读可以产生完全不同的效果，或者说同一句句子（不加标点）可以让不同的读者在阅读的同时产生完全不同的理解和心理体验。巧妙利用这个特色可以保留暧昧的含义，产生绝妙的文学效果，不少佳句绝对就是最好的例证。显然，这个特点对于法律文本而言，尤其对法律翻译的汉译本而言，在某些情况下决不是好事情。

原句：All matters concerning foreign exchange transactions of the Company shall be dealt with in accordance with the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Foreign Exchange Control and other relevant laws and regulations in effect.

原译：所有与公司的外汇往来有关之事宜按**法规进行。

"事宜"和"事情"是一个意思，不过更书面一些。显然，"事宜"也和"事"是一个意思。然而，"宜"还可以单独表达"最好如何如何"的含义。那么，问题就来了。根据原译，是不是可以理解成"所有与公司的外汇往来有关的事情最好按照**法规进行"？显然，根据英语原句来判断，这种理解是错误的！原句作的是一般强制 性规定，表达的意思是"所有与公司的外汇往来有关的事情（事宜）[应当]按**法规进行"。

改译：所有与公司的外汇往来有关之事宜均按**法规进行。

汉语中没有"宜均"这个词组，加上这个"均"字不仅强调了"所有"的无例外含义，也把"宜"和下文隔开，省却了那层"暧昧关系"。

让become的翻译“变得通顺”些

合同中常有severability条款，一般处理为"可分割性"。这里可以被分割的是"合同的条款"，因此此等条款具体是指"合同条款的可分割性"。目前工作中一般用的都是较为省略的前者，因为律师和客户们似乎都已经用习惯了。其实，"可分割性 "带有比较浓重的翻译腔，反过来处理成"合同条款（效力）的独立性"似乎更符合一般汉语表达习惯。

这个条款下一般总是含有这样的内容：

If a provision of this Agreement is or becomes illegal, invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, that shall not affect the validity or enforceability in that jurisdiction of any other provision of this Agreement or the respective Payment Instruction, as the case may be.

只要稍微有点法律知识，这段话理解起来并不困难。然而，这里的become如何翻译却是一个问题――至少在我见过的文本中一直是一个问题，过往的译者一般都直译为"变得"，整句处理成：

"若本协议某条款在任何司法辖区为不合法、无效或不具可强制执行性 （或者变得不合法、有效或具可强制执行性），本协议其它条款或相关付款指示在该司法辖区内的效力和可强制执行性不受影响。"

这里涉及两个问题。其一，"变得不合法……"符合一般汉语的表达方式么？答案显然是否定的。其二， 鉴于是法律文本并且是翻译件，因此汉语表达就可以不考虑固有的表达方式么？答案更是否定的。

Become在这里和"is"相对，从时间上把合同条款的有效性的不同情况包括了进来。"is"表示现在无效，become则表示"现在有效但可能随着时间的推移而'变得'无效"。既然如此，我的处理方法是"不再"，整句翻译成：

"若本协议某条款在任何司法辖区为不合法、无效或不具可强制执行性（或者不再合法、有效或具可强制执行性），本协议其它条款或相关付 款指示在该司法辖区内的效力和可强制执行性不受影响。"

"to the extent"

"To the extent" is not a strange phrase but its meaning in a legal context is, to a great extent, abstract and difficult to be put into proper Chinese.

 

To be continued...

Coincidences make life

"Coincidences make life"-- that's what I said to my colleagues, the translators with DLA Piper, in the so called farewell E-mail. It was not out of nowhere. It was supported by facts. Every day marks an anniversary for him, her, you, them and me. Anniversaries are many. They could be endings as well as beginnings. Each beginning has its ending. The only difference is that whether you may be patient enough to see that. Patience is a matter both of physiology and  psychology.

We used to fear many things. We do not have that many to fear. That's the process, not progress, we have come through.

It may not be that good a thing we were ever happy to see.

Coincidences, happy or not that make life are but lovable memories or accidents, that is to linger in your mind for quite some time...

To be continued...

Dear Friends,

As you may have known, it is my last working day with DLA Piper and I am starting with a new firm, still as legal translator, my beloved profession, from next Monday on.

I cannot begin to thank adequately those who helped me in my production of varied translation, and my life in the firm, where the friendly atmosphere and ready to help friends helped me quickly adapted to the job.

Thank you Roy for your appreciation and offering me this opportunity to work with an International leading law firm. My work here, as I always say, is much more than work. It is my interest, enjoyment, even entrainment, and an integral part of my life. Thank you for your tolerance when I, a little bit nervous and over excited, made some very silly mistakes in the ship building contract, not long before my joining the firm. Thank you, truly.

I am especially indebted to Michael, Elim, Ian, Joyce, Grace, Matthieu, Bertrand, Jessica, Ming, Chelsea, Kevin, Stephanie, and Luanne who were uniformly generous and kindly and showed the most heroic reserves of patience in answering one simple, endlessly repeated question: "I'm sorry, but can you tell me what that jargon may mean in this context?" And I am thankful to Sarah, Vivien, and Chen Tao. You guys, about my age, active and optimistic, unselfishly contributed to the vitality of the place where I work!

My special thanks go to Henry, my alumni, whose correction always hit the point and greatly enlightened me in some specific terms that I had been somewhat lost for a long while.

I am deeply and variously indebted to Frances, who introduced me to the new firm, welcomed me warmly and made my debut with the firm easy and smooth, and Wella and Lisa, who lend me a hand in the various accounting and financial matters, which, I admit, are totally incomprehensible to me, an ignorant of numbers.

Cassie, Catherine, Tian Tian, Irene, Carols, Caddie, and Jun Xia, thank you all for sharing your contagious laughter that animated the firm every day. For Vivian for particular, millions of thanks for your hard, diligent, efficient, and patient work, without which, my work would have been impossible and reduced to zero, for accounting purposes.

Above all, and as always, my profoundest thanks to all the friends here, new and old. Thank you for the days when I worked with you.

You may find me at my personal email and also at my mobile, which is to survive any change in my life, subject to force majeure events, including and only limited to the collapse of China Mobile.

Keep in touch. I will not be far away, just one metro stop. Do drop me a call, at your convenience, when you pay a visit the Bund Centre. I will miss you, the days with DLA Piper and the lunches at the 7th floor dining hall. It's time to say goodbye, but let the friendship continue... ;)

My best wishes to you and your beloved & Happy New Year!

普陀区的交通

初中和高一的时候曾经写过两篇小论文，讨论如何解决普陀区的交通难问题。其中一篇经修改还获得了区政府的奖励。在文章中，我就提出建设高架道路是一个办法。当时从来没有听说过国外或者其它城市的"高架道路"，这个方案纯属我的想象。没想到后来还成了现实，这个我至今也是有点得意的。

今天在某交通论坛就普陀区的交通问题，又忍不住发表了一些看法，摘录如下：

（一）关于轨道线的设置走向
普陀区是上海的西大堂，上海最著名的最历史悠久的几个拥堵点几乎都在普陀区――沿着中山北路就有沪太路口、岚皋路口、武宁路口、曹杨路口（这个和其他几个相比还算小巫见大巫）、金沙江路口。现在新增的早晚高峰的拥堵路段还包括了曹杨路沿线的各路口，尤其以三汽公司（进场车辆喜欢凑高峰的热闹）、武宁路以及枫桥路、铜川路为甚。

普陀区又是住宅大区，更是和交通拥挤互为因果、恶性循环。

尽管如此，普陀区政府在改善居民出行方面所作的努力显然不能被居民认可！轨道线、公交安排都没有向市里要求到合理的方案。现在的轨道线安排在很大程度上只是"借过"而已。由于忽视了曹杨路，乃至大渡河路以西的大量群众的出行需求，这几条轨道线对于普陀区的公共交通改善将是根本毫无作为的。

（二）关于曹杨路在建轨道线的站名取舍与现有站名之间的冲突

至于站名，曹杨路站今后可以改为"曹杨路中山北路站"，既体现了对原有站名的继承，又更厘清了站点的具体位置。

其实，上海的公交站名（包括公共汽车和轨道交通）都应该以交叉路口名称的方式体现，这样才能真正方便市民出行，避免因具体道路过长或道路曲折或者方言发音相近导致的误解。道路曲折道令人头晕的例子有：华山路、梅岭路（都是弧形，和同一条路可能有两个交叉点）；后者的例子有：场中路与上中路（一个在东北一个在西南，相差十万八千里）、湖南路与河南路。此外，还有纪念路与一二八纪念路这样令人晕菜的"经典"案例。

“节骨眼”

juncture (noun)

1 : joint, connection *2 : a point of time; especially : one made critical by a concurrence of circumstances

Example sentence:

"At this juncture in the editing process," said Philip, "it is important that all facts have been double-checked and sources verified."

Did you know?
"Juncture" has many relatives in English ? and some of them are easy to spot, whereas others are not so obvious. "Juncture" derives from the Latin verb "jungere" ("to join"), which gave us not only "join" and "junction" but also "conjugal" ("relating to marriage") and "junta" ("a group of persons controlling a government"). "Jungere" also has distant etymological connections to "joust," "jugular," "juxtapose," "yoga" and "yoke." The use of "juncture" in English dates back to the 14th century. Originally, the word meant "a place where two or more things are joined," but by the 17th century it could also be used of an important point in time or of a stage in a process or activity.

source: http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/juncture

The Functions of a Comma

Let's see an excerpt from a long contract as follows:

"...for each tax payable with respect to the local Policy, and/or the premium payable under such Policy..."

How do we understand this part correctly? First of all, it may be segmented in two different ways as below:

A. "...for each tax payable with respect to (1) the local Policy , and/or (2) the premium payable under such policy..."; or

B. "... for (1) each tax payable with respect to the local Policy, and/or (2) the premium payable under such policy...". (emphasis and numbers added)

Both look correct; however, they are, quite obviously, conveying different, however slight the difference may be, meanings. In A's case, it talks about one thing, i.e. tax; but in B's case, two issues (tax and premium) are discussed. Grammatically speaking, I hold that B correctly deconstructs the part as quoted.

You may have noticed there is a comma used right after the word "Policy". Without the comma, the quoted part could still be as ambiguous as discussed above. Therefore, I think this comma is specifically deployed to wipe out such possible misunderstanding to make clear which two parts are parallel. Such usage of comma is not rare and is often seen when a long series of subjects are mentioned. Under some extreme circumstances, some writer/drafter may arrange their series like "A, B, C, D, E, F and E" instead of "A, B, C, D, E, F and E." The reasoning is quite simple, they were referring to seven, not six, objects! I prefer such usage. It greatly saves the readers time and energy in conjecturing from something that is sheerly about the writer/drafter's habit or intention and totally beyond conjecture!

My discussion does not end here.

I said at the very beginning that it is an excerpt from a CONTRACT. A contract is, to me, a simply story deliberately and/or habitually made complicated by professionals who subsist on the construction and execution thereof and are called lawyers. (Of course such complication is also what I feed on.) You cannot simply read contracts without the due care for any trap duly laid by the drafter.

Actually, the whole paragraph from which the excerpt comes from reads like this: "Please identify the applicable tax rate, method of calculation, due rate and the payee for each tax payable with respect to the local Policy,and/or the premium payable under such Policy."

Voila! The drafter is talking about tax, and tax ONLY. I do not see any point to add premium into the discussion in this specific paragraph. The use of the comma here is not appropriate and it causes the exact misunderstanding it is purported to circumvent.

Such bifurcated understanding makes my life more interesting but some other's more miserable. My suggestion is: use simple and plain English and use bullets and numbers wisely whenever any dispute or misunderstanding could arise. If only the drafter adopted my strategy in example A, the sentence would be much easier to understand and I would not be refreshed.
The functions of a comma are many, among which I treasure at lease one -- it may save me from coma resulting from such a hypnotic afternoon.