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月曜日筆談第二十一篇:以“關聯人”定義為例,分析文法及如何改進語句

月曜日筆談第二十一篇:以“關聯人”定義為例,分析文法及如何改進語句

 修辞立诚法律英语 修辞立诚法律英语 2023-06-26 09:18 发表于北京

維齊非齊

【例句】

Affiliate means, with respect to any person, another person who directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such first person.   

【要點解析】

這是一個比較典型的對“關聯人”作定義的例句。文法結構不算複雜,不過如果譯文表述不當,會導致語義出現偏差。我們首先分析例句的文法結構。

Affiliate是主語。means是謂語。another person是賓語。with respect to any person是狀語。

賓語another person後面是關係代詞who引導的定語從句who directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such first person

intermediary在這裡譯成中間人,參見《元照英美法詞典》:intermediary

(1)仲裁人;調解人

(2)中間人;仲介人;經紀人;仲介組織

在定語從句中副詞directly和副詞indirectly修飾的介詞短語through one or more intermediaries構成狀語。

such first person是指狀語with respect to any person中提到的any person

根據文義,我們可以把定語從句表示的關聯人分成三種情形:

(一)another person who directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls with such first person.

(二)another person who directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, is controlled by such first person.

(三)another person who directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, is under common control with such first person.

應當注意副词directly後面的逗號清楚表明狀語包括兩種情況:即直接地(directly);通過一個或多個中間人間接地(indirectly through one or more intermediaries)。譯文的表述要體現出二者的不同。

綜合以上分析,定語從句表示的關聯人是:

(一)直接地或者通過一個或多個中間人間接地控制此人;

(二)直接地或者通過一個或多個中間人間接地受此人控制;或者,

(三)直接地或者通過一個或多個中間人間接地與此人共同處於第三者的控制之下。

【參考譯文】

就任何人而言,關聯人是指符合下列情形的另一人:直接地或者通過一個或多個中間人間接地控制此人;直接地或者通過一個或多個中間人間接地受此人控制;或者,直接地或者通過一個或多個中間人間接地與此人共同處於第三者的控制之下。

下麵的例句稍顯複雜。行文不夠嚴謹又容易產生歧義。

【例句13.2

“Affiliate” means with respect to a Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the specified Person or an officer, director or 10% or more shareholder of the specified Person.  For purposes of the preceding sentence, “control” of a Person shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, or direct or indirect ownership (beneficially or of record) of, or direct or indirect power to vote, 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of capital stock of such Person (or in the case of a Person that is not a corporation, 5% or more of any equity interest). 

【要點解析】

這段文字包括兩句話。第一句是“Affiliate” means with respect to a Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the specified Person or an officer, director or 10% or more shareholder of the specified Person.

這句話的主語是Affiliate。謂語是means。狀語是with respect to a Person

這句話的賓語容易產生歧義。

根据文法结构,賓語应当是any other Person。关系代词which引导的定语从句修饰宾语。定语从句中的the specified Person就是状语with respect to a Person中的a Person

按照這樣的理解,定語從句表示的關聯方有三種情形:

(一)any other Person which directly or indirectly controls the specified Person or an officer, director or 10% or more shareholder of the specified Person.關聯人直接或間接控制該指明人或該指明人的高級管理人員、董事或持股百分之十或百分之十以上的股東。

(二)any other Person which directly or indirectly is controlled by the specified Person or an officer, director or 10% or more shareholder of the specified Person.關聯人被該指明人或該指明人的高級管理人員、董事或持股百分之十或百分之十以上股東直接或間接控制。

(三)any other Person which directly or indirectly is under common control with, the specified Person or an officer, director or 10% or more shareholder of the specified Person. 關聯人與該指明人或該指明人的高級管理人員、董事或持股百分之十或百分之十以上股東直接或間接共同受到控制。

根據上述分析,這句話可以這樣翻譯:

【參考譯文之一】

關聯方對於某一指明的人而言,是指符合如下情形的其他人:直接或間接控制該指明人或該指明人的高級管理人員、董事或持股百分之十或百分之十以上的股東,或者被該指明人或該指明人的高級管理人員、董事或持股百分之十或百分之十以上股東直接或間接控制,或者與該指明人或該指明人的高級管理人員、董事或持股百分之十或百分之十以上股東直接或間接共同受到控制。

對於第一句話還有一種理解。即賓語是any other Personan officer, director or 10% or more shareholder of the specified Person。關係代詞which引導的定語從句是which directly or indirectly controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the specified Person

按照這樣的理解,關聯方有四種情形:

(一)“Affiliate” means with respect to a Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly controls the specified Person. 關聯方對於某一指明的人而言,是指直接或間接控制該指明人的其他人

(二)“Affiliate” means with respect to a Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly is controlled by the specified Person. 關聯方對於某一指明的人而言,是指被該指明人直接或間接控制的其他人。

(三)“Affiliate” means with respect to a Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly is under common control with the specified Person. 關聯方對於某一指明的人而言,是指與該指明人直接或間接共同受到控制的其他人。

(四)“Affiliate” means with respect to a Person, an officer, director or 10% or more shareholder of the specified Person. 關聯方對於某一指明的人而言,是指該指明人的高級管理人員、董事或持股百分之十或百分之十以上股東。

根據上述分析,這句話可以這樣翻譯:

【參考譯文之二】

關聯方對於某一指明的人而言,是指直接或間接控制該指明人的其他人、被該指明人直接或間接控制的其他人或與該指明人直接或間接共同受到控制的其他人,或者是指該指明人的高級管理人員、董事或持股百分之十或百分之十以上股東。

文法結構是解析語句的關鍵,對於法律檔的語句尤其如此。假如這句話的本意是第二種理解,原文似乎做些調整,才不會產生歧義。

“Affiliate” means, with respect to a Person, (a) any other Person which directly or indirectly controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the specified Person or (b) an officer, director or 10% or more shareholder of the specified Person.

例句的第二句話是For purposes of the preceding sentence, “control” of a Person shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, or direct or indirect ownership (beneficially or of record) of, or direct or indirect power to vote, 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of capital stock of such Person (or in the case of a Person that is not a corporation, 5% or more of any equity interest). 

For purposes of the preceding sentence是定语。主語是表示动宾关系的短语“control” of a Person

謂語是shall mean

賓語比較複雜。根據文法結構,品味文義,可以將賓語分成下面四个部分:

(一)the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct the management or policies of such Person直接或間接管有就該人的事務管理或者各項政策作出指示的權力。

(二the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person,直接或間接管有安排就該人的事務管理或者各項政策作出指示的權力。

(三)direct or indirect ownership (beneficially or of record) of 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of capital stock of such Person (or in the case of a Person that is not a corporation, 5% or more of any equity interest). 直接或間接擁有(不論以實益擁有方式還是以記錄在案擁有方式)該人股本中任何類別百分之五或者百分之五以上已發行在外股份(或者在該人不是法人的情況下,百分之五或者百分之五以上的股權)。

(四)

direct or indirect power to vote 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of capital stock of such Person (or in the case of a Person that is not a corporation, 5% or more of any equity interest).直接或間接就該人股本中任何類別百分之五或者百分之五以上已發行在外股份(或者在該人不是法人的情況下,百分之五或者百分之五以上的股權)進行表決的權力。

動詞vote後面有遺漏,根據文義可以改為vote in respect of(就……進行表決)。

我们参看這句話涉及的几个法律概念。

Black’s Law Dictionary (Eighth Edition):

record owner. 1. A property owner in whose name the title appears in the public records.  2. stockholder of record.

stockholder of record. The person who is listed in the issuer’s books as the owner of stock on the record date. Also termed holder of record; owner of record;record owner.

beneficial ownership.  1. A beneficiary’s interest in trust property. Also termed equitable ownership. 2. A corporate shareholder’s power to buy or sell the shares, though the shareholder is not registered on the corporation’s books as the owner. 可譯作“實益擁有權”

《元照英美法词典》:

record owner

(1) 登記所有人

指以其名義在公共機關登記財產所有權的人。

(2) 登記股東

指其姓名記載於公司股東名冊上的人。其被視為該公司股份所有人,不論其是否是該股份的受益所有人。

beneficial owner受益所有人(亦可譯作“實益擁有人”)

指對信託或信託財產享有衡平法上所有權的信託受益人,與財產的法定所有人(即受托人或遺產代理人)相對。

綜合上面的分析,我們可以這樣翻譯這句話:

【參考譯文】

前一句所稱控制某人是指直接或間接管有就該人的事務管理或者各項政策作出指示或者安排就此作出指示的權力,或者指直接或間接擁有(不論以實益擁有方式還是以記錄在案擁有方式)該人股本中任何類別百分之五或者百分之五以上已發行在外股份(或者在該人不是法人的情況下,百分之五或者百分之五以上的股權),或者指直接或間接就該人股本中任何類別百分之五或者百分之五以上已發行在外股份(或者在該人不是法人的情況下,百分之五或者百分之五以上的股權)進行表決的權力。

同樣,我們還可以嘗試讓這句話表述的關係更清楚:

For purposes of the preceding sentence, “control” of a Person shall mean (i)the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, or (ii) direct or indirect ownership (beneficially or of record) of, or (iii) direct or indirect power to vote, 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of capital stock of such Person (or in the case of a Person that is not a corporation, 5% or more of any equity interest).


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