苏州合同翻译须注意的要点

在近期翻译中文合同时，发现以下几个问题，值得引起注意：
一、 法律或专有名词混用
鉴于合同是一种法律文件，因此用词必须严谨、正式，使合同表达的意思准确清晰、有逻辑性。在翻译过程中，需要采用准确、符合规范的词语。例如：“付款方式”的标准译法是“terms of payment”,而不是“type of payment”。在翻译“按照”一词的时候，“according to”较少被采纳，因为其相对来说较不正式，常用的词语有“in accordance with”、“pursuant to”、 “subject to”等。“by virtue of”、“on account of”常被用来翻译“因为”，而较少用到“because of”。在合同中，经常会使用限定时间或期限的词语，比如“合同签订后生效”或“由双方确认后执行”，一般会采用“upon”作为限制，因为“upon”有“on”和“immediately after”之意，对时间限定比较清楚，而“after”表示“在…之后的一段时间内”，它对时间的限定不够清晰和明确。
二、 句子逻辑关系不清晰
有时合同句子比较长，逻辑关系也比较复杂；在处理时，一定要把握好各短句之间的从属关系，要对原文进行细致的分析，并逐字逐句对照。绝对不可省译、漏译，避免语意不清，甚至改变原文的意思的现象出现。
例如：售后过程中出现质量问题的，经双方确认或经甲方所在地产品质量监督机关检测，确认属乙方责任的，由乙方承担相应责任，并赔偿由此给甲方相关经济损失。
原译：Quality problem occurs in the process of after-sale, and such problem is conformed to be Party B’s responsibility by both parties or by inspection authority of products quality of Party A, Party B shall bear the relevant responsibility and compensate for the economic losses incurred thereby.
改译：In case quality problem occurs in the process of after-sales service, and such quality problem is proven to arise for the reason of Party B through confirmation of both parties or test of the product quality supervision authority of the place where Party A is located, Party B shall bear the relevant responsibilities and compensate for Party A’s economic losses incurred thereby.
三、 标点符号使用不符合英文规范
在中文合同翻译到英文的过程中，有时会出现一段中文只有一个句号，其他分段符号均为逗号的情况。而在英文中，应当避免一逗到底的现象，每层意思表达完毕可以用句号来作为结束符号，这样会使文章看起来更清晰明了，句意表达的更准确。
例如：甲方自材料入库之日起3天内完成验收，验收标准与手段按照行业通行标准和甲方企业标准执行,或甲乙双方确定的标准，在验收中发生纠纷后，按甲方所在地产品质量都督检查机关检测结果为准。
原译：Party A shall complete acceptance inspection within 3 days after the materials are delivered to the storage, relevant standard and methods shall comply with general standard of industry and standard of Party A or the standard established by Party A and Party B, in case the dispute occurs during acceptance inspection, the testing result shall subject to the inspection authority of products quality of Party A.
改译：Party A shall complete acceptance inspection within 3 days after the materials are warehoused. Relevant standard and methods shall comply with general standard of the industry and standard of Party A or the standard established by both parties. In case of any dispute during acceptance inspection, the test result given by the product quality supervision authority of the place where Party A is located shall prevail.