人有姓名，如張大，王小，陳新；法律（廣義）自然亦有其名稱，如 ** 法， хх 條例， ○○ 辦法 …… 。法律名稱之英譯有其特殊性，自然亦有其特殊問(wèn)題。那么法律名稱之英譯實(shí)踐存在著哪些問(wèn)題呢？
　　首先是同一法律名稱，有的譯作如此，有的卻譯作那般，在英語(yǔ)讀者看來(lái)，有兩種英譯的同一名稱的同一個(gè)法，按英語(yǔ)讀來(lái)竟判若兩法，如：
　　1 、原文：中華人民共和國(guó)民法通則
　　譯文：甲 : General Rules of the Civil Law of the People’s Republic of China
　　-Shanghai’s Foreign Economic Rules and Regulations (1991-1992), Shanghai Far East Publishers 1994, P.15
　　乙 : General Principles of the Civil Law of the People’s Republic of China
　　-Laws and Regulations of the People’s Republic of China Governing Foreign-Related Matters(1949-1990).Legal System Publishing House Beijing China 1991,P.33
　　按：雖僅 “rules” 與 “principles” 一字之差 , 亦已毫厘千里矣。民法的原則不是 “ 民法 ” 本身！
　　2 ．原文：中華人民共和國(guó)中外合資經(jīng)營(yíng)企業(yè)法
　　譯文：甲： Law of the People’s Republic of China on Chinese-Foreign Joint Ventures
　　- 同上甲
　　乙： Law of the People’s Republic of China on Chinese-Foreign Equity Joint Ventures
　　- 同上乙
　　3 ．原文：中華人民共和國(guó)中外合作經(jīng)營(yíng)企業(yè)法
　　譯文：甲： Law of the People’s Republic of China on Chinese-Foreign Cooperative Ventures
　　- 同上甲
　　乙： Law of the People’s Republic of China on Chinese-Foreign Contractual Joint Ventures
　　- 同上乙， P. 50 下
　　4 ．原文：中華人民共和國(guó)外資企業(yè)法
　　譯文：甲： Law of the People’s Republic of China on Foreign Enterprises
　　- 同上甲
　　乙： Law of the People’s Republic of China on Foreign Capital Enterprises
　　- 同上乙， P. 489
　　按： “foreign enterprises” 可以是絕對(duì)地 “foreign” 的企業(yè)（包括身為外國(guó)法人的企業(yè)），其內(nèi)涵要比今漢語(yǔ) “ 外資企業(yè) ” 大！
　　5 ．原文：中華人民共和國(guó)海關(guān)對(duì)進(jìn)出上海外高橋保稅區(qū)貨物、運(yùn)輸工具和個(gè)人攜帶物品的管理辦法。
　　譯文：甲： Procedures of the Customs of the People’s Republic of China for the Control over the Goods, Means of Transport and Personal Articles Entering or Leaving the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone
　　- 同上甲 (1994 版 )
　　乙 : Measures of the Customs of the People’s Republic of China Concerning the Administration of the Goods, Means of Transport and Articles Carried by Individuals to be Brought into or out of the Bonded Area of Outer Gaoqiao in Shanghai
　　- 同上乙 (1991 版 )
　　按：由出版年份看，甲譯作于乙譯作后三年，在其下劃線印刷部分，分明是在同乙譯中也用斜體印刷的相應(yīng)部分唱對(duì)臺(tái)戲，似乎是在搞兩家爭(zhēng)鳴，在愚弄不通漢語(yǔ)只懂英語(yǔ)的讀者。何苦呢？
　　6 ．原文：中華人民共和國(guó)歸僑、僑眷權(quán)益保護(hù)法
　　譯文：甲： Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Returned Overseas Chinese and Their Relatives
　　-Shanghai’s Foreign Economic Rules and Regulations (1991-1992),Shanghai Far East Publishers 1994,p.47
　　乙： Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Returned Overseas Chinese and the Family Members of Overseas Chinese
　　-Laws and Regulations of the People’s Republic of China Governing Foreign-Related Matters, China Legal System Publishing House, Beijing 1991,p.1945.
　　按：細(xì)心的讀者一定發(fā)現(xiàn)了，以上甲、乙兩譯不僅文字不同 --- 其內(nèi)涵也有 50% 大相徑庭。按漢語(yǔ)原文，保護(hù)對(duì)象僑是 “ 歸僑 ” 和 “ 僑（不問(wèn)歸與不歸）的眷 ” ，譯文甲的內(nèi)涵卻是以 “ 歸僑 ” 和 “ 歸僑的（ Their ）親眷（ Relatives ） ” 為保護(hù)對(duì)象的；按譯文乙，則其所內(nèi)涵的對(duì)象是 “ 歸僑 ” 和 “ 海外華僑的家屬 ” 了，從而譯文甲在英語(yǔ)讀者面前大大歪曲了原文！
　　7. 原文：上海市企業(yè)國(guó)有資產(chǎn)產(chǎn)權(quán)登記實(shí)施辦法
　　譯文： 甲： Procedures of Shanghai Municipality on the Implementation of Enterprises’ Property Right Over State- owned Assets
　　-Supplement (Chinese-English) New Laws and Regulations Monthly, 1997.1,p.5
　　乙： Procedures of Shanghai Municipality on the Implementation of Registration of Enterprises’ Property Right Over State-owned Assets
　　-lbid, p.18
　　按：稀奇稀奇真稀奇，同樣這項(xiàng)《辦法》，同樣刊載在同一期《新法規(guī)月刊》 1997 增刊 1 期中的該辦法名稱英譯，卻在第 5 頁(yè)上是一個(gè)樣，而在 182 頁(yè)上卻另是一個(gè)樣了。
　　其次，是法律（廣義）名稱大小寫原有一定的規(guī)矩，奈譯者時(shí)而不懂或不守規(guī)則，舛誤起矣，如：
　　8. Interim Procedures of Shanghai Municipality on the Intake of Experts From( 應(yīng)作 from) abroad
　　-Shanghai’s foreign Economic Rules and Regulations(1993-1994),p.3
　　9. Article l (purpose and Basis)
　　The present Procedures are formulated in accordance with the “procedures on the Administration of Registration of Enterprises’ Property Right Over( 應(yīng)作小寫 over) State-owned Assets”……
　　-Supplement (Chinese-English) New Laws and Regulations Monthly,1997,1,p.183
　　10. Measures of the Customs of the People’s Republic of China Concerning the Administration of the Goods, Means of Transport, and Articles Carried by Individuals to be ( 應(yīng)作大寫 Be) Brought into or out( 須大寫 ) of the Bonded Area of Outer Gaoqiao in Shanghai
　　-Laws and Regulations of the People’s Republic of China Governing Foreign-Related Matters, China Legal System Publishing House, Beijing 1991.7,p.11

　　三、是介詞（或準(zhǔn)介詞）之使用失當(dāng)，如：查表示法律規(guī)范調(diào)整的對(duì)象，《新法規(guī)月刊》增刊 1997 年第 1 期共刊載 15 個(gè)條例、規(guī)定之類，幾乎都通過(guò)介詞 “on” ，只有一個(gè)例外用 “for” ：
　　Regulations of Shanghai Municipality on the Administration of Mudflat
　　Provisions of Shanghai Municipality on the Control of Hygiene of the Food Sold on Urban and Rural Fairs
　　Regulations of Shanghai Municipality on Mother and Infant Health Care
　　Regulations of Shanghai Municipality on the Flow of Talented Personnel
　　Regulations of Shanghai Municipality on Drainage Administration
　　Regulations on Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone
　　Rules of Shanghai Municipality for the Implementation of the Regulations on Family Planning （例外）
　　Procedures of Shanghai Municipality on the Registration of Institutions
　　Procedures of Shanghai Municipality on the Administration of Construction Project Contracting
　　Procedures of Shanghai Municipality on the Administration of the Temporary Residence Permit for HongKong and Macao Residents and Overseas Chinese
　　Procedures of Shanghai Municipality on the Granting of Land-use Right
　　Procedures of Shanghai Municipality on Social Relief
　　Procedures of Shanghai Municipality on the Management of Public Libraries
　　Procedures of Shanghai Municipality on the Implementation of Enterprises’ Property Right Over State-owned Assets
　　Procedures of Shanghai Municipality on the Protection of Basic Farmland
　　其中的例外用 “for” ，含義與 “on” 不同：表示調(diào)整對(duì)象，不如由 “on” 表達(dá)來(lái)得貼切。其次 “on” 只有兩個(gè)字母（而 “for” 由三個(gè)字母拼綴而成），更符合法律名稱應(yīng)盡量言簡(jiǎn)意賅，短小精悍的要求。遺憾的是，拾 “on” 而取 “for” 的往往還不少哩。例如上海遠(yuǎn)東出版社 1994 年版的 Shanghai’s Foreign Economic Rules and Regulations(1991-1992) 一書共有十個(gè) “ 法規(guī)規(guī)章 ” ，其中表示其調(diào)整對(duì)象而使用介詞 “on” 的僅兩例，而使用 “for” 的反而有七例：
　　Procedures of Shanghai Municipality for the Implementation of……
　　Interim Provisions for the Control of Shanghai Metal Exchange
　　Interim Procedures of Shanghai Municipality for Encouragement of Nonlocal Investments in the Pudong New Area
　　Procedures of the Customs of the People’s Republic of China for the Control of Goods……
　　Rules of the Shanghai Customs House for the Implementation of surveillance over, and Levy of or Exemption from……
　　Procedures for Controls……
　　Rules for the implementation of……
　　為什么不用首選 “on” 而退而求其次用 “for” 呢？更何況還有三處是采用那累贅不堪的 “Concerning” 呢：
　　Interim Procedures Concerning the Examination, Approval and ……
　　以下彌足珍貴的一例，可以替代在 “on” 與 “governing” 之間左右搖擺、舉棋不定而終于匆匆了事的譯審行為：
　　Regulations of Shanghai Municipality on Governing Trade Unions in Chinese-foreign Joint Ventures
　　于茲場(chǎng)合，即使用了都尚不能算錯(cuò)之時(shí)，這些詞（ for/concerning/governing ）絕對(duì)不能列為首選（ governing 一詞很正宗，現(xiàn)在卻并不多用，而在四十年代初筆者是奉之為首選的） ― 首選當(dāng)然是 “on” 了。
　　四、存在的其他問(wèn)題，如：
　　1 、多用不必用的 governing/concerning, 如：
　　(1) 原譯： Interim Measures Concerning Strengthening Administration of Imports by Air
　　-Laws and Regulations of the People’s Republic of China Governing Foreign-Related Matters(1949-1990)
　　China Legal Publishing House, Beijing 1991,p.1649
　　改譯： Interim Measures Strengthening the Regulation of Air Imports
　　(2) 原譯： Laws Governing Foreign-Related Matters Promulgated Before……
　　-Ibid., p.13
　　改譯： Foreign-related Laws Promulgated Before……
　　2 ．宜前置的名詞附加語(yǔ)不前置（ 1 ），宜后置的不后置（ 2 ）
　　(1) 原譯： Regulations of Shanghai Municipality on Environmental Protection
　　-Shanghai Foreign Economic Rules and Regulations (1993-1994),p.4
　　改譯： Shanghai’s Environment Protection Regulations
　　(2) 原譯： Regulations of Shanghai Municipality on Consumer Legitimate Rights and Interests Protection -Ibid.,p.5
　　改譯： Shanghais Regulations on the Protection of Consumers Legitimate Rights and Interests
　　3．應(yīng)用復(fù)數(shù)而誤用單數(shù)，如下例 “Provision” 系 “Provisions” 之誤：
　　Provision governing the (sic) Laying of Submarine Cables and Pipelines
　　-Laws and Regulations of the People’s Republic of China Governing Foreign-Related Matters
　　(1949-1990),Vol.III, p.12
　　4 ．重要詞語(yǔ)誤譯，如：
　　原文：上海外高橋保稅區(qū)管理辦法
　　原譯： Procedures of Shanghai Municipality for the Administration of the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone
　　-Shanghai Foreign Economic Rules and Regulations (1982-1990),Shanghai people’s Publishing House 1991,p. 563
　　應(yīng)譯： Measures of Shanghai Municipality for the Administration of the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Bonded Area
　　按：原譯 “Free Trade Zone” 明明是 “ 自由貿(mào)易區(qū) ” 而根本不是什么 “ 保稅區(qū) ” ； “ 保稅區(qū) ” 明明不是什么 “Free Trade Zone” 而是 “Bonded Area” ，此乃常識(shí)的常識(shí)，譯者有所不知！如此亂翻誤譯，其職業(yè)道德何在？耐人尋味！
　　5．譯文漏字以致文理不通，如下列 “Implementation” 與 “Foreign” 之間漏了一個(gè) “of”
　　Rules for the Implementation Foreign Exchange Control Relating to Individuals
　　-Laws and Regulations of the People’s Republic of China Governing Foreign-Related Matters, Vol. 2, p.9
　　法律名稱英譯還存在這樣或那樣的問(wèn)題，其根源有二：譯者的知識(shí)結(jié)構(gòu)尚欠合理，心態(tài)有待調(diào)整，幸勿等閑！