4.3.1 “定义”条文的英译
法规（广义，下同）中有一种条文，专以出现于该法规的用语为其作出定义的对象；这里我们就称之为“定义条文”。随着我国法制日益健全，法规中的定义条文已经比较多见了—— 或见于附则，或散见于法规条文之中，或见于某一条文。请看下列定义条文及其英译。
（1）新颖性，是指……
创造性，是指……
实用性，是指……
“Novelty” means …
“Inventiveness” means …
“Usefulness” means …
（2）本办法所称的证券，是指……
The securities termed herein refer to：…
（3）归侨是指回国定居的华侨。
“Returned overseas Chinese” denotes overseas Chinese who have returned to the country and taken it as their place of permanent residence.
（4）本条例所称的新兴技术及其产品的范围包括：……
The new technologies and products based thereon referred to in these regulations include：…
（5）本规定所称的“以上”，包括本数。
The expression “above” referred to in these provisions includes the figure itself.
以上定义条文英译五则，基本上还算可以。但下列取自同样资料来源的英译实例，问题就比较多了。请看：
（6）放射性药品是指……
“Radioactive drugs” refer to …
上例的败笔在于动词的数用了“refer”。须知作为定义的对象而且又是放在引号内的主语“radioactive drugs”应视为单数，动词应作“refers”才是。
（7）本规定所称导游人员，是指……
The term “tourist guides”，as used in these provisions，refers to …
上例修饰主语的“as…”，其两端都用上了逗号：这就使它成了可有可无的非限制性定语了。但按立法意图，“本规定所称”乃本条“导游人员”的要件，非有限制性定语不可。可见，下例（8）中“as…”两端一律不用逗号隔开，从而成了限制性定语。
（8）本条例中下列用语的含义是：……
The terms as used in these Regulations are defined as follows：…
例（8）仍欠简练，应改进如下：
The terms hereinunder used are defined as follows：…
（9）在本办法中，下列词语的含义是：……
［原译］The meanings of the terms appearing in the procedures are expounded as follows：…
[改译]The terms hereinunder are defined as follows：…
（10）本条例所称的新兴技术企业是指：……
“New tech enterprise” referred to in these regulations means：…
（11）本细则所称公安机关、国家安全机关、检察机关是指县以上（含县级）公安机关、国家安全机关、检察机关。
[原译］The public security organs，the state security organs，and the procuratorial organs，as mentioned in these rules，refer to the public security organs，the state security organs，and the procuratorial organs at or above the county level.
[改译］The public security，the state security and the prosecution organs under these rules refer to those at or above the county level.
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