- 法律經貿英語Q&A:疑難詳解與翻譯
- 倪清泉 謝金榮 劉亞蘭
- 410字
- 2021-05-14 15:43:07
第33解
conversation
【英文】Suits for criminal conversation reached their height in late 18th and early 19th-century England,where large sums,often between £10,000 and £20,000, could be demanded by the plaintiff,for “debauching” his wife.
【譯文】在18世紀末和19世紀初的英國,刑事通奸訴訟案達到頂峰。原告對誘惑其妻的被告的賠償要求可達10,000至20,000英鎊。
【解釋】conversation在法律語言中指“通奸”或“通奸罪”,相當于adultery。不過,意為“通奸”的conversation只在文藝復興時期比較流行,在現代法律中通常用criminal conversation(一般縮寫為crim.con.)指“通奸”或“通奸罪”。英國于1857年廢除“通奸罪”,但美國部分州現在仍有“通奸”罪名。
與之相近的是sexual assault(“強奸罪”)。assault 本來指“攻擊”、“襲擊”,美國部分司法管轄區二十世紀八十年代廢止rape一詞,采用sexual assault(有的州采用indecent assault)指“強奸”或“強奸罪”。
再如:
A person who has sexual contact with another not his spouse,or causes such other to have sexual contact with him without that person’s consent,is guilty of sexual assault... If he knows that the contact is offensive to the other person...〔譯文:如果一個男子明知其行為會對另一人造成傷害而與其配偶以外的人發生性接觸,或者未經此人同意使之與其發生性關系,那么此人就犯有強奸罪。〕