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Reading the Fine Print – Contracts for Exporters 细细读出口合约

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

An exact and comprehensive contract is necessary for exporters who wish to avoid costly delays and unproductive legal wrangling. When negotiating with a potential client, exporters need to be aware of the international conventions and trade agreements governing each particular industry. With this information, details such as price, quantity, shipping, and conditions for acceptance or rejection of a product must then be made explicit in writing. A strong sales contract can make or break your exporting program.

一份精确又详细的合约，对出口商而言绝对必须，如果他想避免延迟交货的昂贵代价和不符时间成本的缠讼。与潜在客户进行交涉时，出口商必须留意每一产业的国际惯例和个别产业须遵守的贸易协议。有了这些信息，细节部份像是价格、数量、船期、及收退货条件必须详详细细、白纸黑字地写出来。一只强而有力的销售合约能实质上决定你出口计划的成功与否。

By their nature, international business contracts involve more complications than domestic ones. Language and cultural differences often lead to differences of interpretation regarding the contract’s term. It is essential to determine from the outset which country’s laws govern an exporting contract. Furthermore, the contract should anticipate potential shipping hazards and stipulate precisely when ownership, or title, passes to the buyer.

因其本质使然，国际贸易合约可能牵涉的纠纷比国内合约更深更广。语言文化的差异常常导致合约条款解说上的差异，所以有必要在一开始就点明以那一国法律来主导决定这份出口合约。再者，这份合约应该要能预期运送过程的潜在风险，并精确订定出何时货主的所有权或头衔过户到买主名下。

If the exporter has honored all of a contract’s conditions and shipment has been made, the buyer must accept the goods by taking title. However, payment will only be made if the details of a sales contract and the letter of credit with a buyer’s bank are consistent. Any discrepancy, such as a misspelled name, can disqualify the seller from collecting. In exporting, it literally pays to read the fine print.

如果出口商已经履约做到合约所载的全部条款，货也送达了，买主就必须接受所有权过到自己名下，收下该批货物。不过付款是只有在销售合约细节和买主的银行信用状细节完全符合时，才会付款。有任何不符合之处，像是名字拼错字，都将使卖方收不到款项。进行出口贸易，详读合约真的非常值得。

Vocabulary

单词发音

fine print 附属细则

comprehensive [͵kɑmprɪˋhɛnsɪv] adj. 广泛的；无所不包的；综合的

wrangling [ˋræŋglɪŋ] n. 争吵；争辩

convention [kənˋvɛnʃən] n. 惯例，习俗

govern [ˋgʌvɚn] v. 管理；支配

explicit [ɪkˋsplɪsɪt] adj. 详尽的；清楚的；明确的

interpretation [ɪn͵tɝprɪˋteʃən] n. 解释﹐说明﹐阐明

outset [ˋaʊt͵sɛt] n. 最初，开始

hazard [ˋhæzɚd] n.〔不可避免的〕风险

stipulate [ˋstɪpjə͵let] v. 规定；约定

honor [ˋɑnɚ] v. 承兑，支付；允准；实践

letter of credit〔银行开出的〕信用证﹐信用状

discrepancy [dɪˋskrɛpənsɪ] n. 不一致，不符

disqualify [dɪsˋkwɑlə͵faɪ] v. 使不合格

it pay to 值得做..

pay [pe] v. 有利，划算

Sentence of the Day

Getting exporting down to a fine art takes some time.

做出口要通达熟练必须花上相当时间。

get something down to a fine art【口】学会将某事物做得尽善尽美

课文讲解

Steve rushes into Denise’s office. Denise is his lawyer:  史提夫冲进蒂尼斯的办公室。蒂尼斯是他的律师：

S: We have a problem.

我们碰到问题了。

D: Oh! I see you’re in no mood for small talk. How’s it going with your first shipment of range hoods and other kitchen appliances?

噢！我看得出来你无心聊天。你的抽油烟机第一批货，出货状况怎么样？还有其他的厨房设备呢？

S: Terrible. The buyer is refusing to sign the waybill for the full shipment. He’s accepted only 100 out of the 1000 units he ordered.

糟透了。那批货客户不愿签整批提货单，他只愿意收订单1000件里的100件。

D: Actually, by taking and reselling some of the goods that he has received, he has symbolically already taken ownership. Besides he signed a contract for 1000 units, and that will be enforced by law.

事实上，如果他收下全部货物里的一部份去转卖，他已经象征性地收下所有权了。再者，他签字的1000件订单合约可以循法律途径强制生效。

S: But the problem is that we’ve recently upgraded the product. We shipped him a better model, but technically, it’s not what’s stated in the contract.

不过问题是我们最近把产品升级了。我们出货给他的是改良型的，所以技术上来说，那不是合约记载的货品。

D: Hmmm … so he’s trying to back out on a technicality. But that doesn’t matter. Once title has been transferred, the buyer cannot reject any goods – even with a valid complaint.

嗯…所以他想借故找下台阶。不过那没有关系。一旦头衔转移，既使有效投诉，买家也不可以拒绝任何货物。

S: So if he refuses the remaining units, it’s possible to sue him for the full amount, right?

所以如果他坚持拒绝收剩下的货，是可能依法告他必须全收下，对吧？

D: Right, but that’s a costly road to go down.

对的，不过走那条路很花钱。

S: I understand. A court battle would eat up our resources. Better to resolve this out-of-court.

我懂了。上法院打官司会耗尽我们的资源。最好能达成庭外和解。

D: Absolutely. It’s probably just a misunderstanding. Just give your buyer a friendly call, then get back to me.

当然。这或许只是误会一场。好好给你的客户打通电话沟通一下，然后让我知道下一步进展。

－by Howie Phung

Vocabulary

单词发音

be in no mood for 没有做某事物的心思或兴致

small talk 闲聊, 闲谈。

range hood 抽油烟机

appliance [əˋplaɪəns] n. 设备; 用具

waybill [ˋwe͵bɪl] n. 运货单

symbolically [sɪmˋbɑlɪk!ɪ] adv. 象征性地

upgrade [ˋʌpˋgred] v. 使升级

technically [ˋtɛknɪk!ɪ] adv. 严密地来说；严格按照法律地

back out 退出(协议、计划等), 取消 to fail to keep a commitment or promise

technicality [͵tɛknɪˋkælətɪ] n.〔法律或规则上的〕细则〔尤指迫使人作出看似不公平决定的细则〕; 技术细节

valid [ˋvælɪd] adj. 有根据的；确凿的

sue [su] v. 控告

costly [ˋkɔstlɪ] adj. 昂贵的；代价高的

misunderstanding [ˋmɪsʌndɚˋstændɪŋ] n. 误解

Sentence of the Day

He may be making a mountain out of a molehill.

他或许只是大惊小怪。

molehill [ˋmol͵hɪl] n. 鼹鼠丘（因鼹鼠打洞而鼓起的土堆）