法律英语中的一词多义现象

一词多义的常用单词

Accept

释义：accept在普通英语中的含义是接受，这一点无须赘述。在法律英语accept 也有两个最常用的意思：

①承诺，是合同法中的概念，与邀约offer相对应，如

A contract may be formed if an offer is accepted within the specified time and in the required manner。

如果在规定的时间并以特定的方式对一项邀约作出承诺，合同即可成立。

其他如revoke an acceptance（撤回承诺）等。

②Accept承兑，经常出现在票据法中，如

The draft is accepted by the negotiating bank。

议付行对汇票进行了承兑。

Action

释义：action是法律英语中最常用的单词之一，它有两个意思：

①“诉讼”，相当于lawsuit，如

Party A shall defend Party B in any action resulting from the infringement of the licensed intellectual property。

就与授权使用的知识产权相关的诉讼，甲方应当为乙方进行抗辩

其他的如file an action（提起诉讼），cause of action（诉因）等。

②“作为”，与不作为（forbearance）对应，如

Any negligent conduct of Party A, whether it is action or forbearance, that resulted in loss of party B shall be deemed to be breach of this Contract。

甲方的任何疏忽行为，无论是作为还是不作为，只要引起乙方损失，即可是为甲方对本合同的违约。

Advise

释义：advise在法律英语中有两个常用意思：

①律师等法律工作者提供法律建议，如

The partner of the law firm advised the Manager on various specialist legal issues。

该律师事务所的合伙人就各种专业法律问题向经理提出了法律建议。

②通知，相当于notify或inform，如

The use of advise in the sense of “inform, notify,” was restricted to business correspondence and legal contexts. Thus one may say the suspects were advised of their rights, but it would be considered pretentious to say you’d better advise your friends that the date of the picnic has been changed。

advise 表示“通知，告知”的这种用法局限地用于商业往来及法律情况。因此可以说嫌疑犯被告知他们所具有的权利，但是你最好通知你的朋友，野餐的日期有所改变，这种说法被认为是做作的。

acknowledge

释义：acknowledge在法律英语中有两个常用意思：

① 承认，相当于admit，但其用法更加正式，一般不能用admit来替换，经常与confess连用，即acknowledge and confess，如：

The suspect acknowledged and confessed all his criminal activities to the court.

犯罪嫌疑人向法院承认了全部犯罪行为。

②告知收到（书信）等

例句：Notices given by personal delivery shall be deemed effectively given on the date of personal delivery，provided that receipt shall be acknowledged in writing by the receiving party.

参考译文：在专人送达之日视为有效送达，但收件方应书面确认已收到通知。

Application

释义：application在法律英语中有两个常见意思：

① 申请，申请书，如：

This two-stage process can be combined by submitting to the MOC a signed technology import contract with an application for import permit.

上述两步程序也可合并进行，即向商务部提交已签署的技术引进协议和引进许可申请书。

② 适用，实施，如：

The application of the arbitration rules of the Arbitration Institute in effect on the date of the signing of this Agreement is not subject to judicial review．

参考译文：仲裁庭适用本协议签署日有效的仲裁机构的仲裁规则时不受司法审查。

注：application的动词是apply，同样有两个意思，即①适用，实施经常用在apply sth to sth结构中，如apply the relevant laws and regulations to the disputes between the parties 适用相关法律法规解决当事人之间的争议②申请，通常用在apply to sb for sth结构，如apply to the Ministry of Commerce for approval of the establishment of a joint venture. 向商务部申请批准成立合资企业。