商务英语合同中的短语特点

商务英语合同中的短语特点

1　使用专门的短语表达合同英语惯有的含义

商务合同中经常使用一些约定俗成的专门短语来表达某些惯有的含义，最常见的这类短语有：

whereas　鉴于

in witness whereof　作为协议事项的证据

now this presents witness　兹特立约为据

for and on behalf of...　代表某人

per pro. = per procurationem　代表代理

2　名词性短语居多

相比之下动词词组，无论是在使用数量和结构的复杂性程度上都不及名词词组，因此在商务合同中出现本该出现动词短语的部分却转化成了名词短语，显得很轻巧。

例如：

The Contractor shall not knowingly do or omit to do anything which may adversely affect an orderly transfer of responsibility for provision of the Services.（句中的transfer responsibility转化成了transfer of responsibility，而provide Services转化成了provision of the Services）

3　动词短语转化成介词、形容词短语

动词短语转化成介词、形容词短语是商务合同句式表达的一大亮点。

例如：

support转化成in support of；violate转化成为in violate of；default转化成in default of；break转化成in break of。

All such minutes，records and reports shall be on file at the FIB offices．该句中“存档”用的是“on file”而不是用的动词短语“be filed”。

常见的商务合同中动词转化成形容词短语的句子有：include转化为be inclusive of；exclude常转化为be exclusive of，如：

Your salary inclusive of any overtime payment from the date of commencement of your contract will be USD AMOUNT IN FIGURE (USD Amount in Words) and will be paid in arrears at the end of the month.

The foregoing states the sole and exclusive liability of the parties hereto for infringement of patents, copyrights, mask works, trade secrets, trademarks and other proprietary rights, whether direct or contributory.

4　常用短语来替代一些从句

有时英文商务合同中为了让句子更简单，会使用一些短语来替代某些定语、状语、主语从句。

例如：

All rights and all design elements resulting from the Services shall vest in and be the absolute property of Party A．该句中的分词短语“resulting from the Services”就起到了使句子结构紧密，表达简单的效果，并且替代了定语从句“which result from the Services”。

All properties of the Contractor while at the Premises shall be at the risk of Contractor and the Department shall accept no liability for any loss or damage however occurring thereto or caused thereby except where any such loss or damage was caused or contributed to by any act, neglect or default of any Servant of thereby Crown at the Premises acting in the course of his employment.

上面这个长句中的“however occurring thereto or caused thereby”就替代了状语从句“however it will occur thereto or be caused thereby”。