例如:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by duly authorized representatives of both parties on the date and year first written above.(本协议由双方当事人代表于本协议上述所记载日期缔结生效,特此为证。)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Contract in duplicate by their duly authorized representatives on the date first above written.(作为协议事项的证据,双方授权代表于上述日期正式签订本协议,一式两份。)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this agreement to be executed by duly authorized representatives on the date first written above. The effective date of this contract shall commence upon the date of signature and seal by parties hereto, which shall terminate on end and conclusion of guarantee period by original manufacturer.(本合同由双方授权代表在上述日期代表各方签署订立,特此为证。本合同于双方签字盖章之日起生效,至原厂提供的质保期结束时终止。)
4. Known All Men by These Presents“根据本文件,兹宣布”
Known All Men by These Presents一般接whereas之后,常用来引出具体协议事项,可译成“兹”,“特此”。与Now Therefore“特此,因此”近似。
例如:
Known All Men by these presents that we, the Bank of China having our registered office at Fu Chenmen (hereinafter called the Bank) will be bound to the Employer in the Sum of_________for which payment shall well and truly be made to the Employer.(根据合同文件,兹宣布,中国银行(注册地点:北京阜成门)(以下简称:“银行”)向业主立约担保支付金额_________的保证金。)
例如:
And Whereas we have agreed to give the Contractor such Bank Guarantee; Now Therefore we hereby affirm that we are the Guarantor and responsible to you, on behalf of the Contractor, up to a total of_________(amount of guarantee) (in words), such sum being payable in types and proportions of currencies in which the Contract is payable, and we undertake to pay you, upon your first written demand and without cavil or argument, any sum or sums within the limits of_________(amount of guarantee) as aforesaid without your needing to prove or to show grounds or reasons for your demand for the sum specified therein.(本银行(或金融机构)已同意为承包人出具保证函,我们在此同意作为保证人,并代表承包人以支付合同价款所规定的货币种类和比例,向你方担保总额为_________(大写)的保证金。银行在收到第一次书面付款要求后,在上述担保金范围内,毫无异议地向你方支付_________(保证金额),你方无须出具证明或陈述提款理由。)
5. execute “签署”“履行”
execute在英语商务合同中,通常用作“签署”的意思,相当于sign,较少用作“执行”。比如,The contract is executed on December 12, 2008,应当理解为“本合同签订于2008年12月12日”。有时,execute也可以用来表示“履行合同”等,如in the course of the execution of the contract(在合同履行过程中),因此,要决定execute在法律英语中的含义,还要联系上下文的意思。
例如:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the authorized representatives of the parties hereto have caused these presents to be executed the 1st day of February 2007.(本协议于2007年2月1日各方代表签字后生效。)
6.frustration “合同落空”“合同受挫”
frustration 在英语合同里是一种专业用语,意思是“合同落空”“合同受挫”,其另外的英语表达是frustration of contract 或frustration of purpose。
例如:
The Parties to a contract may be discharged from the necessity of further performance if the contract becomes frustrated. A contract may become frustrated where, before property and risk have passed, it becomes impossible to perform the contract legally, or the circumstance so change that performance would be radically different from what was contemplated in the contract. The frustrating event must occur without the fault of either party. Examples of frustrating events are the outbreak of war or a supervening illegality, i.e. where performance becomes illegal by law after the contract is made.(合同落空,当事人可不再继续履行合同。合同无法依法履行或因情势变更,合同的履行与合同规定大相径庭,在财产与风险转移之前,合同可以落空。发生合同落空事项,当事人均不得有过错。合同落空的情况如战争爆发或合同订立后随即发生非法行为,即合同于订立后其履行即为非法。)
7. supersede “取代”“使……无效”
supersede 在合同英语中意为“取代”,相当于replace, supplant, 在英语合同中,supersede较为常用。
例如:
Party B is commissioned by the manufacturers to buy steel plates and this contract shall supersede all previous commitments.(乙方受制造厂家的委托购买钢板,本合同将取代以前的一切承诺。)
This Agreement shall constitute the entire agreement between the Parties on the issues set forth herein and shall supersede any and all agreements made between the Parties regarding the issues prior to the date hereof.(本协议是双方之间就事项所达成的全部协议,并代替双方在本协议日之前达成的任何及全部协议。)
8. unless otherwise “除非另……”
在合同英语中一般用 unless otherwise 表示“除非另……”,后面一般跟动词,比“if not”和“otherwise”正式。比如“除非信用证另有规定”可以说“unless otherwise specified in the Letter of Credit”。
例如:
The contractor shall make his own arrangements for the engagement of all labor, local or otherwise, and save insofar as the contract otherwise provides, for the transport, housing, feeding and payment thereof.(承包人必须自行安排雇佣所有当地和外地的劳工,并负责劳工的交通、食宿和工资,本合同另有规定的除外。)
Unless otherwise expressly provided for in this Contract, the Agent shall have no obligations to account to any Bank for any amount received in respect of any loan maintained by the Agent or any of its affiliates or for the profits related to the loan. The Agent and its affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower as though the Agent in question were not as an Agent.(除本合同另有明确规定外,代理行没有义务向任何银行说明它或它的附属机构的贷款金额或其利润。代理行及其附属机构可以向借款人贷款,接受借款人存款,并与借款人进行各种经营活动,如同不是代理行一样。)
3.3合同的常用句型
1.“某某享有对……的拥有权”或“……归……所有”
在英语合同中表达所有权常用的有sth. remains the property of sb. 或the title of sth. shall be vested in sb.。英语合同表示“某物所有权属于某人”时常用到这两个句型。如果用the ownership of sth. belongs to sb.或者sb. owns/possesses sth.就不够正式,而且possess只指目前属于某人,并不能说明获得的来源,而own只表示“对……的合法占有”。
例如:
Licensee hereby agrees that at the termination or expiration of this agreement Licensee will be deemed to have assigned, transferred and conveyed to Licensor any rights, equities, good will, titles or other rights in and to the Name which may have been obtained by Licensee or which may have vested in Licensee in pursuance of any endeavors covered hereby, and that Licensee will execute any instruments requested by Licensor to accomplish or confirm the foregoing.(被许可方特此同意本协议终止或届满时,被许可方向许可方转让被许可方已获得或经努力已拥有的对此名称的任何权利、权益、商誉、所有权或其他权利,并且被许可方在许可方的要求下签署文件以完成或确认上述转让。)