法律英语核心术语之四
justice 正义;大法官;司法
justice是一个使用频率极高的词汇;例如,Chief Justice(首席大法官)、Justice Department(司法部)等。该词在不同的语境下,通常有“公平、正义”;“法官、大法官”;“司法”;“司法管辖权”等意思。
实例及翻译
In the long run, there is no justice without freedom, and there can be no human rights without human liberty.
【参考译文】 从长远来看,没有自由便没有公平正义,同样,没有人的自由,又何来人权?
详细讲解
例1: The Supreme Court issues an opinion explaining its decision; Justices may issue concurring opinions if they agree with the ruling or dissenting opinions if they disagree with the ruling.
【参考译文】最高法院发布意见解释其判决;大法官们如果同意这一裁决则可以发表配合意见,如果他们不同意裁决则可以发表反对意见。
例2:The Chief Justice, like an Associate Justice, is nominated by the President and confirmed to sit on the Court by the U.S. Senate.
【参考译文】首席大法官,与其他八位大法官一样,是由总统提名并由参议院批准担任法官职位的。
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[短评]这里要注意的是 “Associate Justice”与“Justice”同义,通常直接翻译为 “大法官”,以区别于“Judge”(法官)。不可以将Associate Justice翻译为“助理法官”、“陪审法官”或者“副法官”等。
例3:The Roman goddess of justice was called Justitia and was often portrayed as evenly balancing both scales and a sword and wearing a blindfold.
【参考译文】罗马的正义女神叫作“宙斯提提亚”。她通常被描述为:左手持一平衡的天平,右手持长剑,眼睛蒙着布。
例4:There are two fundamental aspects of the U.S. criminal justice system -- the presumption that the defendant is innocent and the burden on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
【参考译文】 美国的刑事司法制度中有两个基本方面:一是推定被告人无罪;二是检察机关负有举证责任,排除合理怀疑证明被告人有罪。
活学活用
请读者将下列两段简短的英文翻译为汉语。
1. A common representation of Justice is a blind-folded woman holding a set of scales.
2. The United States Supreme Court consists of nine justices.
参考译文
1. 正义的象征通常是一个手持天平、眼睛蒙着布的女神。
2. 美国的联邦最高法院由9名大法官组成(首席大法官1人,大法官8人)。