LinguisticFeaturesofBusinessEnglishSyntacticFeaturesofBusinessEnglish商务英语句法特点PassiveVoice商务英语合同的语旨是要阐述客观事物的本质特征,描述其发生、发展及变化过程,表述客观事物间的联系,所以其主体一般是客观事物或自然现象,因此,被动语态也就得以大量为这样的文本侧重叙事推理,强调客观准确,第一、二人称使用过多,会造成主观臆断的印象。因此尽量使用第三人称叙述,采用被动语态。PassiveVoice例1:TheAppendixheretoshall,throughthecontractperiod,bedeemedtobeconstruedasanintegralpartofthisContract.译文:整个合同期间,本合同附件应理解为合同不可分割的一部分。句中的bedeemed和tobeconstrued都属于被动结构。Thistermmaybeusedirrespectiveofthemodeoftransportincludingmultimodaltransport.Ifsubsequentcarriersareusedforthecarriagetotheagreeddestination,theriskpasseswhenthegoodshavebeendeliveredtothefirstcarrier.非限定动词多(NonfiniteVerbs)NonfiniteVerbs:gerund,infinitive,presentparticipleandpastparticiple非限定动词虽然不能单独作谓语,但仍然保留原有动词的某些性质,可以用状语来修饰。如前所述,商务英语合同文本行文简练,结构紧凑,为此,往往使用分词短语代替定语从句或状语从句;使用分词独立结构代替状语从句或并列分句;使用不定式短语代替各种从句;介词十动名词短语代替定语从句或状语句。这样可缩短句子,又比较醒目。非限定动词多AttherequestofPartyB,PartyAagreestosendtechnicianstoassistPartyBtoinstalltheequipment.中的toassistPartyB和toinstalltheequipment使句子的意思明明白白,“同意派遣技术人员帮助乙方安装设备”。Thismeansthatthebuyerbearsallrisksandanyadditionalcostsoccurringafterthegoodshavebeensodelivered.Thebuyerwishtohavetheprotectionofgreatercover,hewouldeitherneedtoagreeasmuchexpresslywiththesellerortomakehisownextrainsurancearrangements.Nominalization名词化结构多。使用名词化结构是商务英语合同的特点之一。因为科技英语文体要求行文简洁、表达客观、内容确切、信息量大、强调存在的事实而非某一行为。为使行文简洁,商务英语合同中多用表示动作或状态的抽象名词或起名词功用的V-ing形式以及名词短语结构。Nominalization例2:ThesubmissiontoandconsentbytheEngineerofsuchprogramsortheprovisionofsuchgeneraldescriptionsorcashflowestimatesshallnotrelievetheContractorofanyofhisdutiesorresponsibilitiesundertheContract.译文:向工程师提交并同意的上述进度计划或提供上述一般说明或现金流量估算,并不解除合同规定的承包人的任何义务或责任。。本句中submission与consent,provision,descriptionsduties,responsibilities都是抽象名词与后面的介词构成名词化结构.Ifthesellerisresponsibleforclearingthegoods,payingdutiesetc.,considerationshouldbegiventousingtheDDPterm.PresentTense,PresentPerfect一般现在时和现在完成时较多。这两种时态在商务英语合同中使用频率高的原因是前者可以较好地表现文章内容的无时间性,说明文章中的贸易关系的用语不受时间限制,任何时候都成立;后者则多用来表述双方已经完成的任务。PresentTense,PresentPerfect例3:IncasePartyBbecomesdelinquentinthepaymentofanysumduehereunder,PartyAwillbeentitledtosuspendtheperformanceuntilsuchdelinquentiscorrected,andinitiateterminationforcauseinaccordancewithSection10.2.译文:乙方违约未按本协议规定按期支付的,甲方有权中止履行协议,直至该违约得以纠正,甲方还有权于协议第十条第二款规定的事由出现时终止本协议的执行。Incase从句和until从句中一般现在时,主句用willdo表一般将来时LongSentences长句多。表述一个复杂概念或事物时,为了描叙精确,使之逻辑严密,结构紧凑,需使用长句,通常是因从句多或并列成分多而构成的长句。例如:LongSentences例4:Withtheexceptionoflatedeliveryornon-deliveryduetoForceMajeurecauses,iftheSellerfailstomakedeliveryofthegoodsinaccordancewiththetermsandconditions,jointlyorseverally,ofthisContract,theSellershallbeliabletotheBuyerandindemnifytheBuyerforalllosses,damages,includingbutnotlimitedto,purchasepriceand/orpurchasepricedifferentials,deadfreight,demurrage,andallconsequentialdirectorindirectlosses.TheBuyershallneverthelesshavetherighttocancelinpartorinwholeofthecontractwithoutprejudicetotheBuyer'srighttoclaimcompensations.Longsentences译文:除非因不可抗力导致的交付迟延或交付不能,如果卖方未能根据本合同的条款交付货物,卖方应对买方承担责任并保证赔偿买方因此造成的损失、损害赔偿,包括但不限于购买价格或购买差价、空仓费、延滞费以及所有因此产生的直接或间接的损失。然而买方应有权解除合同的部分或整个合同,不得妨害买方行使索赔权利。Theinsuranceshallbecontractedwithunderwritersoraninsurancecompanyofgoodreputeand,failingexpressagreementtothecontrary,beinaccordancewithminimumcoveroftheInstituteCargoClauses(InstituteofLondonUnderwriters)oranysimilarsetofclauses.UnrealConditions国际贸易中,通常使用非真实的条件句。使用表达虚拟的连词引导一个非真实的句子,来表示一种责任和义务。If,unless,incaseof,onlyif,onlyafter,provided,inviewof,providingthat,onconditionthatThebuyermustbearallrisksoflossofordamagetothegoods•fromthetimetheyhavebeendeliveredinaccordancewithA4;and•fromtheagreeddateortheexpirydateofanyagreedperiodfordeliverywhichariseeitherbecausehefailstonominatethecarrieroranotherpersoninaccordancewithA4,orbecausethecarrierorthepartynominatedbythebuyerfailstotakethegoodsintohischargeattheagreedtime,orbecausethebuyerfailstogiveappropriatenoticeinaccordancewithB7,provided,however,thatthegoodshavebeendulyappropriatedtothecontract,thatistosay,clearlysetasideorotherwiseidentifiedasthecontractgoods.Complexsentences商务英语中,表达观点及陈述事实时用短句,解释说明时用长句。Thebuyermust,shouldhefailtogivenoticeinaccordancewithB7,bearallrisksofthegoodsfromtheagreeddateortheexpirydateoftheperiodfixedfordeliveryprovided,however,thatthegoodshavebeendulyappropriatedtothecontract,thatistosay,clearlysetasideorotherwiseidentifiedasthecontractgoods.Nonattributiveclauses商务英语中,使用非限制性定语,用来表达严肃、客观的语气、准确完整的概念。Businessisacombinationofalltheseactivities:production,distributionandsale,throughwhichprofitoreconomicsurpluswillbecreated.Buttheimportantthingtorememberisthatinthemodernworldwemustgivepeopleskillswhichpreparethemforthechangingworldofmanufacturingandprodutionwhichisnowuponus.商务是指生产、配送、销售等一切活动的组合,通过这些活动,创造利润和经济盈余。但需要记住的事情是,在现代世界里,我们必须向人们传授技术本领,掌握这些技术本领就可以使他们为应对我们眼下所面临的不断变化着的生产制造技术领域做好准备。Useof“shall”商务英语中,使用带“shall”的句子,来增强语气。尤其是合同类的材料中,单词“shall”不仅表示将来,还表示每一方的职责和义务,常具有“必须”、“应该”和“要”等的强制意味。Thesellermustobtainathisownexpensecargoinsuranceasagreedinthecontract,suchthatthebuyer,oranyotherpersonhavinga