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By Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya, CT<\/em><\/p>\n Slides available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n As translators, we are also writers, but what makes good writing? When I started out in legal translation and faced my first contracts to translate, all I was armed with were a few specific prescriptions from my professor at Kent State (\u201cuse \u2018shall\u2019\u201d) and a general sense that there was a \u201cright\u201d way contracts should sound. It was only a few years later that I discovered that Bryan Garner, who had come up frequently in our editing class, was actually an authority on legal writing, and later still that an ATA webinar introduced me in passing to Ken Adams and his categories of language. If only someone had mentioned these authorities sooner!<\/p>\n My session at ATA61, focusing on contract language in Russian and English, grew out of this frustratingly long and thorny process of discovering what good legal writing was and how to apply it. I recalled the paralyzing self-doubt of knowing that following the syntax of the source verbatim wouldn\u2019t get the point across and being unsure of how to communicate more effectively. What helped me overcome that feeling and have confidence in my translation? It was remembering that contracts are fundamentally a means to an end, and that end is ultimately independent of the languages the parties speak, the cultures they live in, and the legal systems they operate under. They have a deal to make, and that deal needs to be in writing to ensure accountability.<\/p>\n How do words on a page achieve that end? This is where I turned to Kenneth Adams and his Manual of Style for Contract Drafting<\/em> (MSCD). Every bit of a contract contributes some part to the contract\u2019s overall purpose, and Adams has made an effort to systematize the roles the various clauses and sentences play. He also happens to give recommendations on how to phrase each of these categories, but as I stressed in my presentation, I\u2019m not here to say that his recommendations are superior to any other systematic approach.<\/p>\n The bulk of my session was a rundown of all the categories of language Adams proposes for English, followed by language serving the same purpose in Russian (except the last two categories, which I have never seen in Russian contracts). This was intended as a condensed overview appropriate for the conference session format; anyone interested in these categories should check out the MSCD or Adams\u2019s blog<\/a>. In the feedback I received there were requests for a side-by-side table of these categories, which is provided below:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe Consultant must<\/strong> be reimbursed for all authorized expenses.\u201d (MSCD p. 67) (Consultant is not a party)<\/p>\n not<\/em><\/strong> \u201cAny controversy\u2026 shall be settled by arbitration.\u201d (MSCD p. 62)<\/td>\n \u00ab\u0417\u0430 \u043d\u0430\u0440\u0443\u0448\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0441\u0440\u043e\u043a\u043e\u0432 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0430\u0447\u0438 \u0438\u043c\u0443\u0449\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430 \u0432\u0438\u043d\u043e\u0432\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0430 \u0443\u043f\u043b\u0430\u0447\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442<\/strong> \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433\u043e\u0439 \u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0435 \u0448\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0444.\u00bb<\/p>\n \u00ab\u041a \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0442\u0435\u043d\u0437\u0438\u0438 \u0434\u043e\u043b\u0436\u043d\u044b \u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0435\u043d\u044b <\/strong>\u0434\u043e\u043a\u0443\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0442\u044b…\u00bb<\/p>\n \u00ab\u0410\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0434\u043d\u0430\u044f \u043f\u043b\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u0432\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0438\u0442\u0441\u044f<\/strong> \u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u0437\u0434\u043d\u0435\u0435…\u00bb<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \u201cAcme is not required to<\/strong> replace the Widget Equipment.\u201d (ibid. p. 88)<\/p>\n Avoid \u201cmay not\u201d<\/td>\n \u00ab\u0414\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440 \u043c\u043e\u0436\u0435\u0442 \u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0434\u043e\u0441\u0440\u043e\u0447\u043d\u043e \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0433\u043d\u0443\u0442 \u043f\u043e \u0441\u043e\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0448\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044e \u0421\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d.\u00bb<\/p>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \u201cmust not<\/strong>\u201d for non-parties<\/td>\n \u201cAny attempted transfer of Shares in violation of this agreement will be<\/strong> void.\u201d (ibid. p. 94)<\/p>\n <\/td>\n \u00ab\u0410\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0434\u043d\u0430\u044f \u043f\u043b\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u0443\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043d\u0430\u0432\u043b\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f<\/strong> \u0432 \u0440\u0430\u0437\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0435…\u00bb<\/p>\n \u00ab\u0412\u0441\u0435 \u0441\u043f\u043e\u0440\u044b, \u0441\u0432\u044f\u0437\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0441 \u043d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u0449\u0438\u043c \u0414\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043c, \u0431\u0443\u0434\u0443\u0442 \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0440\u0435\u0448\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f <\/strong>\u0421\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0430\u043c\u0438 \u043f\u0443\u0442\u0435\u043c \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0432.\u00bb<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \u201c[Party name] states that the following facts are accurate:\u201d (MSCD p. 114)<\/td>\n \u201cIf Company A receives a complaint, it shall promptly notify Company B.\u201d (obligation)<\/p>\n \u201cIf Company A receives a notice of consent, it may sell the Shares.\u201d (discretion)<\/p>\n \u201cIf Employee A ceases to be employed by the Company, the Option will terminate.\u201d (policy)<\/td>\n \u00ab\u0412 \u0441\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0430\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0443\u043f\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f <\/strong>\u044d\u0442\u0438\u0445 \u043e\u0431\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u0441\u0442\u0432 \u0421\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0430 \u043e\u0431\u044f\u0437\u0430\u043d\u0430<\/em> \u0432 \u0442\u0435\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435 5 \u0434\u043d\u0435\u0439 \u0443\u0432\u0435\u0434\u043e\u043c\u0438\u0442\u044c \u043e\u0431 \u044d\u0442\u043e\u043c \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433\u0443\u044e \u0421\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0443.\u00bb (obligation)<\/p>\n \u00ab\u0412 \u0441\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0430\u0435 \u043d\u0435\u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f <\/strong>\u0441\u043e\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0448\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0432 \u0445\u043e\u0434\u0435 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0432, \u0437\u0430\u0438\u043d\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0421\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0430 \u043d\u0430\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043b\u044f\u0435\u0442<\/em> \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0442\u0435\u043d\u0437\u0438\u044e \u0432 \u043f\u0438\u0441\u044c\u043c\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u0444\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0435.\u00bb (obligation)<\/p>\n Rarely \u00ab\u0435\u0441\u043b\u0438…\u00bb<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n So what do we do with all this information? The first pattern to notice is that Russian contracts use present tense nearly everywhere, without discriminating between language categories. Present tense shows up without any modals or other signal words in language of performance, obligation, and policy, although other options are available. Past tense is limited to the introduction (the closest equivalent to language of agreement), and future is rare and sporadic in its usage.<\/p>\n The second pattern to note is that the particular verb forms used in English and Russian do not always match. When translating, it is important to:<\/p>\n It may be tempting to faithfully recreate the syntax of the Russian and disconcerting to realize that such a strategy is unlikely to get the meaning across. The takeaway I had for my listeners was more freeing: you can\u2014and often should\u2014make changes to the verb structures as you translate. That is not a case of taking too many liberties, nor is it an unnecessary improvement. It\u2019s just good translation!<\/p>\n Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya is a Russian and French to English legal and financial translator based in the Philadelphia area. She has an MA in Translation from Kent State University and is ATA-certified for Russian to English. She is the current administrator for the ATA Slavic Languages Division.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya, CT Slides available here. As translators, we are also writers, but what makes good writing? When I started out in legal translation and faced my first contracts to translate, all I was armed with were a few specific prescriptions from my professor at Kent State (\u201cuse \u2018shall\u2019\u201d) and a general sense that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":640,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[249,256,66],"tags":[131,128,129,127,130,132],"class_list":{"0":"post-637","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ata-conference","8":"category-ata-session-recap","9":"category-ata61","10":"tag-categories-of-language","11":"tag-ken-adams","12":"tag-kenneth-adams","13":"tag-legal-writing","14":"tag-russian","15":"tag-russian-contracts","16":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/young-writer-with-a-screenplay-JBDYH87.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=637"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":645,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637\/revisions\/645"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/640"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=637"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=637"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=637"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n\n
\n Language Category<\/td>\n Purpose<\/td>\n English<\/td>\n Russian<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Agreement<\/td>\n Consent to be bound by the contract<\/td>\n \u201cThe parties therefore agree<\/strong> as follows:\u201d (MSCD p. 44)<\/td>\n \u0421\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u044b… \u00ab\u0441\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0432\u0438\u043b\u0438<\/strong> \u043d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u0449\u0438\u0439 \u0434\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440 … \u043e \u043d\u0438\u0436\u0435\u0441\u043b\u0435\u0434\u0443\u044e\u0449\u0435\u043c\u00bb<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Performance<\/td>\n Causes change of status for person or thing<\/td>\n \u201cAcme hereby<\/strong> purchases the Assets from Doe.\u201d (MSCD p. 52)<\/td>\n \u00ab\u0412\u043e \u0438\u0441\u043f\u043e\u043b\u043d\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u043f. 1.1 \u0414\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0430 \u041f\u0440\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0432\u0435\u0446 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0430\u0435\u0442<\/strong>, \u0430 \u041f\u043e\u043a\u0443\u043f\u0430\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0430\u0435\u0442<\/strong> \u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u043c\u0430\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0438\u0430\u043b\u044b \u0441\u043b\u0435\u0434\u0443\u044e\u0449\u0435\u0433\u043e \u0430\u0441\u0441\u043e\u0440\u0442\u0438\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0430 \u0438 \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430:\u00bb<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Obligation<\/td>\n Imposes an obligation on a party to the contract<\/td>\n \u201cAcme shall<\/strong> purchase the shares from Doe.\u201d (MSCD p. 58) (Acme is a party)<\/p>\n \u00ab\u0410\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0434\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c \u043e\u0431\u044f\u0437\u0430\u043d<\/strong>…\u00bb<\/p>\n \n Discretion<\/td>\n Indicates a party has a choice to do something or not<\/td>\n \u201cAcme ma<\/strong>y appoint one or more subcontractors.\u201d (MSCD p. 76)<\/p>\n \u00ab\u0410\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0434\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c \u0432\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0435 \/ \u0438\u043c\u0435\u0435\u0442 \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043e<\/strong>…\u00bb<\/p>\n \n Prohibition<\/td>\n Indicates a party cannot do something<\/td>\n \u201cThe Customer shall not<\/strong> modify the Equipment without Acme\u2019s prior written consent.\u201d (MSCD p. 90)<\/p>\n \u00ab\u0410\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0434\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c \u043d\u0435 \u0432\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0435 \/ \u043d\u0435 \u0438\u043c\u0435\u0435\u0442 \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043e<\/strong>…\u00bb<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Policy<\/td>\n \u201cRules that the parties must observe but that don\u2019t, at least expressly, require or permit action or inaction\u201d (MSCD p. 94)<\/td>\n \u201cThis agreement terminates<\/strong> on 31 December 2019.\u201d (MSCD p. 95)<\/p>\n \u00ab\u041f\u0440\u0438\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u21161 \u044f\u0432\u043b\u044f\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f<\/strong> \u043d\u0435\u043e\u0442\u044a\u0435\u043c\u043b\u0435\u043c\u043e\u0439 \u0447\u0430\u0441\u0442\u044c\u044e…\u00bb<\/p>\n \n Declaration<\/td>\n Assertion of fact<\/td>\n Traditionally introduced by \u201crepresents and warrants,\u201d Adams recommends \u201cstates\u201d and \u201cacknowledges\u201d<\/p>\n \u00ab\u0410\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0434\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c \u0437\u0430\u0432\u0435\u0440\u044f\u0435\u0442 \/ \u0433\u0430\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0442\u0438\u0440\u0443\u0435\u0442<\/strong>, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0430 \u043c\u043e\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0442 \u0437\u0430\u043a\u043b\u044e\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0414\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0430 \u041e\u0431\u043e\u0440\u0443\u0434\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0432 \u0441\u043f\u043e\u0440\u0435 \u0438\u043b\u0438 \u043f\u043e\u0434 \u0430\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e\u043c \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0438\u0442\u2026\u00bb<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Intention<\/td>\n Addresses issues to be handled by a court<\/td>\n \u201cintend(s) that\u2026\u201d<\/td>\n Not seen<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Recommendation<\/td>\n Gives recommendations when one party has more power<\/td>\n \u201crecommends,\u201d \u201cencourages,\u201d \u201creminds\u201d<\/td>\n Not seen<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Conditions<\/td>\n Modify other language categories<\/td>\n Subordinate clause introduced by \u201cif\u201d or \u201cunless\u201d (not \u201cshall,\u201d \u201cshould,\u201d or subjunctive)<\/p>\n \u00ab\u0412 \u0441\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0430\u0435 <\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u0441\u0432\u043e\u0435\u0432\u0440\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0432\u043e\u0437\u0432\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0430<\/strong> \u041e\u0431\u043e\u0440\u0443\u0434\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u044f, \u0410\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0434\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c \u0432\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0435<\/em> \u043f\u043e\u0442\u0440\u0435\u0431\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c…\u00bb (discretion)<\/p>\n \n
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