白领技能 | 如何读懂英语合同（第一讲）
英文自我感觉学得还不错，可老板让读个英语合同，眼见都认识的单词，放在一起却一头雾水，这是怎么回事？举个例子:
Unless otherwise provided for herein, failure or delay on the part of any party to exercise any right, power to privilege under this Agreement shall not operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege preclude further exercise thereof or exercise of any other right, power or privilege. (答案见文末)
法律英语的用词很装
在合同中，不用before用prior to，不用after用subsequent，不用if用provided that。此外还用到construe、deem、whereas、without prejudice等。宣誓书（affidavit）中还会用到being first duly sworn、depose and says等。
还要运用一些古英语，主要包括here、there、where与介词的结合。
hereafter | herein | hereof | hereto | herewith
thereafter | thereby | therefrom | therein | thereof
whereas | whereby | wherein | whereof
外来语自然也少不了，英美两国法学专业的学生要学习拉丁文，所以希拉里是学过拉丁文的，例如alias（化名）、alibi（不在犯罪现场）、quorum（法定人数）、inter alia（除了别的因素以外）、mutatis mutandis（在细节上做适当修改后）、pari passu（按相同比例）等。
还有一些法律术语（jargon），如burden of proof（举证责任）、cause of action（案由）、due diligence（审慎调查）、lessee（承租人）、tort（侵权行为）等。
法律用词换马甲
法律英语要全是术语倒也容易，无非就是查字典呗，可令人发指的是，一些常用的词，到了法律英语里就意思不同了。
action
（正常）行动
（法律）诉讼
例句：Two leading law firms are to prepare legal actions against tobacco companies.
两大律师事务所准备对烟草公司提起法律诉讼。
alienation
（正常）异化
（法律）转让
avoid
（正常）避免
（法律）取消
consideration
（正常）考量
（法律）对价
execute
（正常）执行
（法律）签署
instrument
（正常）工具
（法律）法律文件
prejudice
（正常）偏见
（法律）损害
said
（正常）说
（法律）上述
serve
（正常）服务
（法律）送达
句子都是马拉松
法律文件的句子都很长。感受一下：
If, after the signing of this Agreement, the Chinese government either at the State, provincial, municipal or local level adopts any new law, regulation, amends or repeals any provision of any law, regulation, decree or rule, or adopts any different interpretation or method of implementation of any law, regulation, decree or rule, which contravenes this Agreement or which materially and adversely affects a Party's economic benefit under this Agreement, then upon writtern notice thereof from the affected party to the other Party, the Parties shall promptly consult and decide whether (i) to continue to implement this Agreement in accordance with the original provisions thereof as per the relevant provisions of the Contract Law of the People's Republic of China; or (ii) to effectuate necessary adjustments in order to preserve each Party's economic benefit under this Agreement on a basis no less favourable than the economic benefit it would have received if such law, regulation, degree or rule had not been adopted, amended, repealed or so interpreted or implemented.
试试看，找找主语和谓语。
被动与名词化
和文学作品不同，被动与抽象的名词化也很常见。举个例子：
Unless otherwise provided for herein, failure or delay on the part of any party to exercise any right, power or privilege under this Agreement shall not operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege preclude further exercise thereof or exercise of any other right, power or privilege.
下面来学习一下被动句如何翻译。
（一）英语被动变成汉语被动
例句：This Contract shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the People's Republic of China.
本合同受中华人民共和国法律管辖并依其解释。
（二）动作发出者做主语
例句：There is no provision of the Company's Articles of Association or constitutional documents and no provision of any existing contract and agreement binding on it which has been or would be contravened by the execution and delivery of this Agreement or by the performance by the Company of any of the terms hereof.
公司签署和交付本协议或履行本协议的任何条款，不违反、亦不会违反公司的章程或组织文件的任何规定核对公司约束力的任何现有的合同和协议的规定。
（三）直接译为主动句
例句：This Agreement is executed in Chinese. If necessary, it may be traslated into other languages.
本协议以中文文本签署。如有必要，本协议可译成其他文字。
The two arbitrators shall be selected within thirty days after giving or receiving of the request for arbitration.
两名仲裁员应在发出或收到仲裁要求后三十天内选定。
文首答案
Unless otherwise provided for herein, failure or delay on the part of any party to exercise any right, power to privilege under this Agreement shall not operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege preclude further exercise thereof or exercise of any other right, power or privilege.
译文：除非本协议另有规定，任何一方未能或延迟行使其在本协议项下的任何权利、权力或特权，不应视为其放弃该权利、权力或特权；单项或部分行使任何权利、权力或特权，亦不妨碍其进一步行使该权利、权力或特权或行使其他权利、权力或特权。
练习
《租房合同》是最常见的合同文件，下面两句话是《租房合同》中常见的条款。试翻译。
RESIDENT acknowledges that he has examined the premises and that said premises, all furnishings, fixtures, furniture, plumbing, heating, electrical facilities, all items listed on the attached property condition checklist, if any, and/or all other items provided by OWNER are all clean, and in good satisfactory condition except as may be indicated elsewhere in this Agreement.
RESIDENT agrees to keep the premises and all items in good order and good condition and to immediately pay for costs to repair and/or replace any portion of the above damaged by RESIDENT, his guests and/or invitees, except as provided by law.