诉讼文书中涉及大量的专业词汇，熟悉并掌握这些专业词汇是翻译涉外诉讼文书的前提和基础。诉讼文书中的专业词汇大体上可以分为两大类，第一类是诉讼文书中特有的词汇，第二类是法律活动中经常出现的法律术语。

1. 诉讼文书中特有的词汇

诉讼文书中特有的词汇有很多，例如：送达service，起诉file a case，诉讼litigation，诉讼代理人 agent ad litem，提起公诉institute a public prosecution，刑事拘留criminal detention，刑事自诉状self-incriminating criminal complaint，诉讼时效statute of limitation，上诉appeal，等等。

例1: A defendant who waives service must within the time specified on the waiver form serve on the plaintiff's attorney (or unrepresented plaintiff) a response to the complaint and must also file a signed response with the court. If the answer or motion is not served within this time, a default judgment may be taken against the defendant. By waiving service, a defendant is allowed more time to answer than if the summons had been actually served when the request for waiver of service was received.

参考译文：放弃送达的被告必须在格式放弃书所确定的时间内，向原告律师（或无代理人的原告）送达对起诉状的回应书，并须将签字的回应书提交于法院。如果在该时间内没有送达答辩状或者动议书，法院将会下达对被告不利的不应诉判决。与传票已实际送达相比，当放弃送达的请求收到时，放弃送达允许被告有更多的时间作出答辩。

译文解析：上述例子原文中出现很多诉讼词汇，如waive service 放弃送达，complaint起诉状,answer答辩状,motion动议书,a default judgment不应诉判决，summon传票，等等。如果不懂这些词汇特有的法律意义，诉讼文书的翻译便无从谈起。

例2：外国当事人向中国法院提交的离婚起诉状、离婚答辩状、委托书、意见书和上诉书等诉讼文书，必须经过其本国公证机关公证，并由中国驻该国使领馆认证。中国法院依据中国法律予以判决，如果在中国境外的外国当事人对一审判决不服，可以在收到判决书次日起30日内提出上诉；上诉期经申请可以延期，但延期最长不超过30日。

参考译文：Litigation documents submitted by a foreigner to a Chinese court, such as a complaint for divorce, a bill of defense, a power of attorney, a legal opinion and a notice of appeal must be notarized by the notary office of his or her country and confirmed by the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in the said foreign country. The Chinese court shall issue a judgment in accordance with Chinese law. If the foreigner residing outside the People's Republic of China disagrees with the judgment of first instance, he or she may file an appeal

within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the judgment. The specified time limit can be extended upon application by the foreign party, but the maximum time for an extension is no longer than thirty (30) days.

译文解析：原文含有很多的诉讼词汇，例如，“提交诉状”，“予以判决”，“一审”，等等，都是中文诉讼文书中经常出现的字眼，熟练掌握它们相应的法律英语表达方式是很有必要的。

2. 法律活动中常用到的法律术语

法律术语的翻译是法律翻译里面最难的部分之一，因为这些术语与普通法系国家的法律渊源和法律制度密不可分。如在英美国家的诉讼文书中经常提及breach of contract违约,negligence tort过失侵权，strict liability严格责任，damages损害赔偿，joint and several liability 连带责任，probable cause 合理依据，等等。

例3:Since contributory negligence is an affirmative defense, the complaint needs to contain no allegation of due care by plaintiff.

参考译文：因共同过失为积极抗辩，故起诉书无需包含关于原告应有注意的声明。

例4：一审法院在审理案件的过程中，严重违反了民事诉讼法的程序规定，错误地认定与案件有关的事实，裁决我公司承担根本不存在的损害赔偿责任，侵犯了我公司的合法权益。

参考译文：In the trial phase of this case,the first-instance court committed a grave violation of the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China; its finding of relevant facts is erroneous and its decision ordering this company to pay certain non-existent damages is quite a violation of this company's legal rights.

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