A Study of the Linguistic Characteristics of Bidding & Tender Documents
Liu Zuo-yong
(Shougang Construction Corporation, Beijing 100043, China)
Abstract: This paper studies the linguistic characteristics of bidding & tender documents in translation, from Chinese to English and vice versa, by focusing on a number of topics — grammar, vocabulary, rhetoric, structure, terminology, logic and style. Then, through a comprehensive and systematic analysis of examples of misinterpretation and of translation errors evident in tender and bidding documents and other similar contractual material published in authoritative mainland publications, the author highlights the problems and pitfalls encountered by professional translators in the fields of international trade and industrial project contracting, and lays down some general principles for dealing with these problems.
Key words: comprehension and translation; bidding and tendering; contract documents
例子：Bidders Shall state the guaranteed performance or efficiency in response to the technical specification.
例子：The Purchaser, by written notice sent to the Supplier, may terminate the Contract, in whole or in part, at any time for its convenience.
4. 在日常英语中，句子“Tom hit Bob”可以自由地转换成“Bob was hit by Tom.”，陈述的基本事实不变。但在招投标文件的合同条款中，此类主动语态和被动语态句式转换却受到限制，尤其在涉及招投标双方的义务和权利方面，不宜随便选用被动语态句式，因为法律总是坚持义务人要主动自觉履行其义务，权利人要自然主动地享有其权利。若采用被动语态句式易引起语气弱化，意义含糊，甚至责任、权利来源不明。国内一些汉译英出版物对此常常未予以充分的关注。
例子：原英文：The inspections and tests may be conducted at point of delivery, and/or at the Goods’ final destination. If conducted on the premises of the Supplier or its Subcontractors, all reasonable facilities and assistance, including access to drawings and production data, shall be furnished to the inspectors at no charge to the Purchaser.
If such inspections and tests are conducted on the premises of the Supplier or its Subcontractors, the Supplier or its Subcontractors shall, at no charge to the Purchaser, furnish to the inspectors all reasonable facilities and assistance, including access to drawings and production data.
例子：In the case of an ex-works Contract, insurance is to be effected by the Purchaser after lading.
例子：In the event of any discrepancy between them, the Original shall govern.
（2） 笨重动词代替轻灵动词
encourage urge
continue keep on/go on
supplement add to
acquire get/gain
grant give
incapacitate can’t
jeopardize harm
require need
（3） 冷僻用词代替日常用词
prior to before
expiry end
certify prove
solicit seek
例子：Prior to the detailed evaluation, pursuant to ITB Clause 26, the Purchase will determine the substantial responsiveness of each bid to the bidding documents.
例子：In the case of fixed price contracts, if the award is delayed by a period exceeding fifty-six days beyond the expiry of the initial bid validity, the contract price will be adjusted by a factor specified in the request for extension.
例子：The supplier shall not, without the Purchaser’s prior written consent, disclose the Contract or any provision thereof, or any specification, plan, drawing, pattern, sample, or information furnished by or on behalf of the Purchaser in connection therewith, to any person other than a person employed by the Supplier in the performance of the Contract.
例子：In consideration of the payments to be made by the Purchaser to the Supplier as hereinafter mentioned, the Supplier hereby covenants with the Purchaser to provide the goods and services and to remedy defects therein in conformity in all respects with the provisions of the Contracts.
（5）有意识地有系统地使用抽象名词代替动词
用his inaction代替he didn’t take action，用his signature in my presence代替He wrote down his name before me.
（6） 口语体用字比较罕见
表“将来”一般不用be going to do或be about to do，而要用shall或will；表“批准”不用allow，而用approve或permit。
例子：原英文：If any dispute arises between the Employer and the Contractor in connection with, or arising out of, the Contract or the execution of the works, whether during the execution of the works or after their completion and whether before or after the repudiation or other termination of the Contract, including any disagreement by either party with any action, inaction, opinion, instruction, determination, certificate or valuation of the Engineer, the matter in dispute shall, in the first place, be referred to the Disputes Review Board.
本句核心含义是If any dispute arises, it shall be referred to the Disputes Review Board。原英文句子难解难译的关键在于从句中的中心成分dispute后有一个较长的定语成分in connection with, or arising out of, the contract or the execution of the works，同时又有一个很长的同位语成分including any disagreement by either party with any action, inaction, opinion, instruction, determination, certificate or valuation of the Engineer。这个和中心成分关系密切的定语成分却被arises between the Employer and the Contractor强行与中心成分隔开。而同位语离中心成分更远，两者严重脱节，当读到此同位语时，读者不得不再掉头回去寻找与其相关的中心成分。两个whether短语都修饰arises，本应按照靠近原则紧贴arises，但由于whether结构太长被迫后移，插入到同时与dispute有关的长定语和长同位语之间，使得各个成分之间的相互关系更加繁杂。在主句中，in the first place插入到复合谓语shall和be referred to之间，显然是作谓语的状语，谈的是争端解决的先后步骤，意思是将争端首先提交给the Disputes Review Board以寻求解决途径，而不是越过the Disputes Review Board直接去找仲裁机构要求仲裁，只有当对the Disputes Review Board的决定不服时才可再找仲裁机构仲裁（下文也正是接着这个思路说下去的，本处未引出来）。如果将之理解为作整个主句的句子状语，则意思就变为首先要将争端提交给the Disputes Review Board，然后还如何如何，这样就使人想到除了寻求解决方法外，还需要采取诸如停工、罚款等其它措施，这和下文内容不符。由于各个组件安排不合理导致意义的含糊。在修辞上，从主从句整体布局来考虑，由于从句太长，主句太短，有头重脚轻的失衡感，不能达到尾重的语言效果。另外，在章法上，从句中主要信息(any dispute arises)和主句相离，衔接不紧。The matter实质是对从句中any dispute（争端）的复指，虽然可以增加主从句的粘接力，但由于中间夹杂了太多的次要枝节，阻断了行文的流畅和思路的连贯。在措辞方面也不太妥当，从句中的dispute和主句中的dispute同形不同意，一个是作为事物名词使用（争执的内容，即争端），一个作为表动作的抽象名词（争论的过程，即争执）使用，在正式文体中这种同形不同意的用法应尽可能避免，最简洁的办法是干脆省去in dispute。像这样的句子我们可以在保留原意不变的基础上将各个成分进行适当的调整，分流信息，布设均匀，以减轻读者的心理压力。
修改后英文：If, whether during the execution of the works or after their completion and whether before or after the repudiation or other termination of the contract, between the Employer and the Contractor arises any dispute in connection with, or arising out of, the Contract or the execution of the works, including any disagreement by either party with any action, inaction, opinion, instruction, determination, certificate or valuation of the Engineer, the matter shall, in the first place, be referred to the Disputes Review Board.
例子：原英文：Bidders shall update any information submitted with their applications for prequalification, which has changed, and update in any case the information indicated in the Bidding Data Sheet, and continue to meet the minimum threshold criteria set out in the Prequalification Documents.
上述英文是错误的，原因就在于which前的逗号使用不当。显然招标方要求投标人更新的对象是那些已经发生变更的信息资料，而不是所有的信息资料，对于原先递交的但是投标时未发生变更的信息资料当然不存在更新的问题。因此which has changed应作为限制性定语从句来限制information，缩小需要更新的information的范围。但由于原英文中which前有了一个逗号，使得which has changed就只能是非限制性定语从句了，英文原文的含义也就变成了投标人原先提交的所有信息资料全部都发生变更，全部需要更新，这显然是不合情理的。作者在原英文中滥用逗号，大概是考虑到information后有两个定语成分，一个是which has changed，另一个是submitted with their applications for prequalification，不好安排，只好用逗号将两个定语成分隔开。改正的办法就是删除which前多余的逗号，两个定语成分都变为限制性定语从句，用“and”并列。
修改后英文：Bidders shall update any information which has changed and which was submitted with their applications for prequalification, and update in any case the information indicated in the Bidding Data Sheet, and continue to meet the minimum threshold criteria set out in the Prequalification Documents.
修改后译文：Those projects capable of providing advanced manufacture technique and production technology, manufacturing new products or promoting the development and utilization of new energy for Shanghai are entitled to preferential treatments.
原中文是说构成专业技术许可合同的要素有三个（未公开，未取得产权保护，能制造或应用），必须三者同时兼备，少一不可，故为兼备关系，应相当于英语中的“and”。至于“产品设计，工艺流程，配方，质量控制，管理等”则并不要求诸个事项同时兼备，而只要诸事项中有一个或一个以上出现即可，故为选项关系，应相当于英语中的“or”。此外，汉语的“等”字有两种含义，一种用法表示列举选项的省略，有实义，相当于英语中的“so on”或“others”，另一种用法是对前面列举的选项的总括复指，无实义（如小田、小刘和小赵等三人去开会了），仅表强调，“等”字有无均可，在本例子的原汉语中，此“等”字显然是采用了前一种的用法，代替省略的选项，相当于英语中的“and so on”或“others”。
原对应英译文：A contract for the licensing of proprietary technology ——. This type of contract refers to a contract which involves providing or imparting technical knowledge on the manufacturing of a certain product or the use of a certain area of knowledge, as well as information on product design, technological processes, formulas, quality control, management skills, etc., which has yet to be made public or has yet to receive the protection of industrial property laws.
上述英译文将has yet to be made public和has yet to receive the protection of industrial property laws用or连接，这等于是说两者只须满足其一即可，显然和原中文不符，应改为and。而“产品设计，工艺流程，——”却被译为“product design, technological processes, formulas, quality control, management skills, etc.”。《朗文当代英语词典》(Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English)对“etc.”的释义为“and so on”。这说明etc.的用法实质上应和and的用法相同：表多项内容同时兼备。使用了etc.，就等于是说information为同时包括有关所有选项的信息，这也和原中文不符，应改为or others。
修改后英文：This type of contract refers to a contract which involves providing or imparting technical knowledge on the manufacturing of a certain product or the use of a certain area of knowledge, as well as information on product design, technological processes, formulas, quality control, management skills, or others, and which has yet to be made public and has yet to receive the protection of industrial property laws.
在日常英语中，free常表示“免费的”的意思，但它也可表示“自由，任意的”的意思，故为了避免歧义，合同文件中，宁可不用单个free，而改用free of cost to sb.或at no charge to sb.。
例子：原英文：If such inspections and tests are conducted on the premises of the Supplier or its Subcontractors, the Supplier or its Subcontractors shall, at no charge to the Purchaser, furnish to the inspectors all reasonable facilities and assistance, including access to drawings and production data.
（4） 修饰限制成分放置的位置以及其修饰限制力延伸范围也应予以特殊关注。
例子：原英文：Should any inspected Goods fail to conform to the specifications, the Purchaser may reject the Goods, and the Supplier shall either replace the rejected Goods or make alterations necessary to meet specification requirements free of cost to the Purchaser.
原对应译文显然和原英文在含义上有出入。原英文中free of cost to the Purchaser不仅修饰make alterations necessary，而且也修饰replace the rejected Goods，其修饰限制力范围应当一直向前延伸到replace the rejected Goods，而不是仅仅只达到make alterations necessary。也就是说不仅要免费修改，而且更换也要免费。当然，原英文中free of cost to the Purchaser放置的位置也不是最佳位置，易于引起误解，为了使其延伸力范围能更明确地体现出来，可以将其插入到shall和either之间，前后使用逗号分开，即将原英文改写成为：
修改后英文：Should any inspected Goods fail to conform to the specifications, the Purchaser may reject the Goods, and the Supplier shall, free of cost to the Purchaser, either replace the rejected Goods or make alterations necessary to meet specification requirements.
例子：原英文：All disputes arising from the execution of or in connection with the Contract shall be settled through amicable consultation by both parties. In case no settlement can be reached within twenty-eight (28) days after commencement of such Consultation, the parties to the Contract shall refer the dispute to the concerned Provincial or Municipal Government or sector line Ministry. If the dispute is not resolved amicably within twenty-eight (28) days from the date of its reference to the concerned Provincial or Municipal Government or sector line Ministry, the disputes shall be submitted for arbitration.