【论文】英文外贸信函中重要同义词的分析和翻译

英文外贸信函中重要同义词的分析和翻译摘要外贸函电在国际贸易中,使用极为广泛。可以说,不懂英文函电,就做不成国际贸易。本文就外贸函电中最重要最常用的两组名词,一组动词和一组术语的同义词进行了分析研究,以期避免双方在沟通和理解上造成误解,确保达成共识,促进贸易发展。关键词：外贸函电 国际贸易 同义词 分析与翻译 中国论文 职称论文Abstract International business correspondences play an important role in international trade. With Chinas accession to the WTO ,we are confronted with more challenges as well as business opportunities. It is therefore very important for us to have a good command of some important synonyms most commonly used in the international trade. It can be said that without business correspondence , all international trade and business will fall apart . In this article , the author gives a detailed analysis of some useful terms and expressions often used in international trade.Key Words international trade communication key words translation外贸函电无论是打印还是手书,一经签发,即产生法律效力并隐含显示了公司或个人的素质和水平。因此我们应该重视外贸函电在国际贸易中的重要作用,同时还应正确理解关键同义词的含义并能准确翻译,以避免贸易双方在谈判和交易过程中产生误解,影响对外贸易的正常进行,甚至造成不必要的经济损失。1 consignment , del ivery , dispatch( despatch) ,shipment这四个英文名词有一个共同的意思是指“装运,发运,发货”,但是它们的中文含义又不尽相同。在翻译时,我们应特别注意它们的确切含义。具体来讲:consignment 指a set or group of goods orarticles consigned at one time 即“发运,托运”, 也就是说一批商品或货物在某一个时间发送出去。多指从装船口岸运出去的货物。例如:The articles formed part of the consignment sent last month. 这些货物是上个月“发货”的一部分。(也可翻译为“发来的货物”)The goods will be packed in waterproof linedcases and collected on August 10 by Chinese Rail for consignment by passenger t rain.货物将使用防水内衬材料的箱子包装,8 月10日由中国铁道部门随客车“运送”。这里指一次性运送。delivery 指the act of t ransferring goods ,such as the t ransfer of goods f rom consignor to carrier , one carrier to another , or carrier to con2signee. 即“(货物的) 交货,交付”。是指转移货物的行动,如把货物从托运人转移给承运人,或由承运人转移给另一个承运人,或承运人送达收货人。强调只要将货物交给对方,其货物的所有权就转移给了对方。翻译时要注意到它的隐含意思。例如:Some of our customers wish to know if its possible to avoid t ransshipment for future delivery. 我方有些客户想知道,今后“交货”时可否不用转船。We lodge a claim against you for a short delivery of 15001bs. 你方短“发”1 500 磅,我们提出索赔。也可翻译为“短交的货物”。dispatch 指send a message , post , parcel or goods to a particular person or destination. 正式的发送或发运,如传递消息、发送信件、邮包或货物等给某人或到某地。在函电中多指发送或发运从制造厂运出来的货物。可译成“发运或发送货物、发货”。例如:I will give you the exact date of dispatch. 我将告知你准确的“发货”日期。We shall be in position to quote you for limited quantities for dispatch during April should you have any interest in these goods. 如你方对这些商品感兴趣,我们能够报价,货物数量有限,4 月“发货”。或翻译成“发运”。shipment 指the act of putting goods on a ship 即“装运,装货上船”。多指从装船口岸运出来的货物。可翻译为“装船,装运”。例如:These goods are ready for shipment . 这些货物准备“装船”。For the moment , I wish to order 5 ,000 set of Article A88 for prompt shipment . 目前,我想订购货号为A88 的货品5 000 套,即期“装运”。shipment 作名词不仅有单复数之分,而且含义也不同,要予以注意。如: shipment during August . 这里的shipment 是单数,暗指“不分批装运”; 而shipment s during August . 中的shipment s 是复数,暗指“可分批装运”。特别需要注意的是:在以出口港为交货条件的FOB、CFR、CIF 等情况下, delivery 和shipment 的意义相同,“装运”即“交货”。但在以进口港为条件的Ex- ship , Ex Quay 等情况下,delivery 为“在进口港交货”,而shipment 为“在出口港的装运”。它们的意义不同。2 disparity , difference , discrepancy 同样, 上述三个名词,都有“差异,差别,不同”的意思。 其中disparity 是指there is a noticeable difference between two or more things , it is a rather formal word. 它是正式用语,意思为两者或更多者之间有明显的不同或区别。通常翻译为“差异,不同”,多用于书面语中,常接用in。例如:Evidently there is a great disparity in the total weight . 很明显, 在重量方面有很大“差异”。This disparity in price is too wide to bridge over. 价格“差距”太大,无法弥合。difference 是一般词,指a quality in some2thing which makes it unlike something else , or the amount by which one number or quantity is less than another. 通常指本质上的差别或不同,也指数量或金额上的差额或差数。一般翻译为“差别, 不同, 差额, 差数”。常接用between。请一起分析下面的例句:The premium for the difference between 130 % and 110 % of the invoice value should be borne by your buyers. 按发票金额110 %和130 %的投保“差额”应由你方买主负担。Your L/ C is short-established to the amount of Euro 500. 00 , as the total value of your order comes to Euro 5 ,950. 00 instead of 5 ,450. 00 ,the difference being Euro 500. 00. 你方信用证“少开”500 欧元,因为你方订货到岸价总值为5950 欧元而不是5450 欧元。也可翻译为“你方信用证金额差数”。而discrepancy refers to figures , totals , balances , a failure to agree , showing that some mistake has been made such as in adding or in posting 指数字,总数,余额的不相符,表明在相加或记帐时有错误。翻译为“差异,不符,或差错”。常接用in 或between。在表示同一件事物中有差异,要说discrepancy in sth. 而两件事物之间有差异则说discrepancy between A and B 在信用证中,discrepancy 则是指“不符点”。We discovered certain discrepancies in their market report . 我方已在他们的市场报告中发现了某些“矛盾之处”。或译为“不符之处”。In case of discrepancy between unit prices and amount s , unit prices shall govern. 如单价和总金额有“矛盾”,应以单价为准。或翻译为“有差异”。3 negotiate , honor这是一组动词,它们在信用证中都有付款的含义,但其确切的含义并不相同。negotiate 在外贸函电中是“议付”, 指inletter of credit t ransactions , the examination of sellers documentation by the bank to determine if they comply with the terms and conditions of the letter of credit 在信用证交易中,银行对卖方的单据进行检查,以判定是否符合信用证的条款要求之意。实际上强调如果单据符合信用证条款,银行可付款给出口商,反之则不能付款。请看以下句子:At the time of negotiation , 5 % commission to be deducted f rom invoice value and should be remitted by the negotiating bank in the form of bank draft in favor of ABC Co.“议付”到期时,将按发票金额扣除百分之五的佣金,该扣除金额需由“议付行”以银行汇票形式开给ABC 公司。The exporters must present shipping document s when they negotiate payment with the bank. 出口商向银行议付时必须呈递装船单据。honor 之意是“兑现,承付”,即to pay or toaccept a draft complying with the terms of credit . 更为突出是“如期支付,承付”,即honour abill (cheque , draft , etc) “兑现票据(支票,汇票,信用证, 托收) ”。This L/ C will be duly honored only if the seller submit s whole set of document s that allterms and requirement s under L/ C No. 123456have been complied with. 只有出口人提供与信用证123456 号相符的全套单据,本行才予以“承兑”。“承兑”意为到期支付。We t rust you will honor our draft on presentation. 我们相信我方呈递汇票,你方会如期支付。4 shipping advice , shipping instruction and shipping note这三个术语,均有“发运通知”的意思,但又各有其不同的含义。shipping advice 指a document prepared by an exporter and inform his customer of the shipped details , including name of commodity ,S/ C No. L/ C No. marks , quantity , vessel name , amount and so on. “(已) 发货通知”,即指由出口商制发的通知客户的货物已装船详情的一种单据,包括商品名称,合同号,信用证号,唛头,数量,船名,金额等。特请注意:它是卖方在FOB ,CFR 价格术语条件下,完成装货任务后,发给买方的通知,以便买方能及时安排保险。例如: Your shipping advice should be sent to us within 24 hours after shipment 。你方的“(已) 发货通知”应在装运后24 小时之内发送我方。shipping inst ruction 指a document prepared by an exporter and sent through his shipping and forwarding agent to the ship-owners giving them directions and detailed information concerning the consignment .“装船通知,装货通知,装船命令,装运指令”, 即:由一个出口商制发的通过他的货运人和运输代理送交船主的一种单据,给予他装运指令以及有关托运的详细信息。也指进口商在发货前发给出口商的有关装运具体要求。例如:We t rust that the above-mentioned shipping inst ruction is clear to you and hope that the shipment will give the users entire satisfaction.我们相信贵司已了解了上述“装运通知”的内容,并希望此货物会让客户非常满意。shipping note 指a document prepared by the ship-owners giving the superintendent (official in charge) of the docks details of the cargo to be carried. A duplicate copy is signed by the superintendent as a receipt for the goods.“装船通知单”,即指船主缮制的,通知码头管理人(负责官员) 有关待装船货的细节的单据。其复印本由管理员签署后作为货物收据。例如:Please make sure that your shipping note is all right .请确保你方的“装船通知单”准确无误。总,在学习和应用外贸函电过程中,我们除了要掌握英文的有关专业词汇外,更重要的是要学会最重要和最常用的同义词在特定句子中的确切含义。要把国际贸易中的专业知识运用到外贸函电中,力求做到英文的句子即符合商务信函的规范要求,又能准确表达意思,让对方明白双方是在谈同一件事情或同一项业务,以便达成共识,交易成功,促进贸易发展。 5 参考文献1 兰天编著1 外贸英语函电(第三版) 1 东北财经大学出版社,20002 J . H. Adam 编著1Longman English-Chinese Dictionary of Business English1 上海译文出版社,19973 爱德华,欣克尔曼编著1Longman Dictionary of International Trade1 中国人民大学出版社,20004 江澄编著1 实用经贸英语用法词典1 机械工业出版社,20025 梁雪松,郑晶1 信用证英语关键词解析与翻译1 上海科技翻译,2003 , (3)