在翻译各种法律文件时,我们经常能够遇到一些比较长的句子。这种句子如果不仔细看清楚里面的逻辑关系就很容迷失在原文之中,出现翻译错误。以下是一条有关“家庭信托”的英文定义条款:
"Family Trust" means, with respect to any Employee Shareholder, trusts (whether arising under a settlement, declaration of trust or other instrument by whomsoever or whosoever made or under a testamentary disposition or on an intestacy) under which no immediate beneficial interest in any of the Securities in question is for the time being vested in any Person other than that Employee Shareholder, his spouse and descendants and so that for this purpose a person shall be considered to be beneficially interested if such Securities or the income thereof is or may become liable to be transferred or paid or applied or appointed to or for the benefit of such person or any other rights attaching thereto are or may become liable to be exercisable by or as directed by such person pursuant to the terms of the relevant trusts or in consequence of an exercise of a power or discretion conferred thereby on any person or persons;
从字面上可以看到,翻译难点主要集中在粗体部分,各种修饰词和从句使得整个句子晦涩难懂,为准确翻译带来不少难度。所以我推荐一种化繁为简的方法,可以迅速抓住句子的主干,极大提高翻译效率。以标蓝部分为例:
由此可见,拆分后的句子简洁明了,意为“家族信托”指任何相关证券的直接实益权益目前未授予任何人士的信托。