兩者的區(qū)別在于law merchant為“商業(yè)法則”（此時的merchant 不是名詞而是形容詞 ） ， 指的是按中世紀(jì)英國普通法所發(fā)展而成的商事規(guī)則，包括有關(guān)調(diào)整商人關(guān)系的習(xí)慣和規(guī)則、商事方面的慣例、規(guī)章、原則等，其對現(xiàn)代的commercial law有較大影響，在美國《統(tǒng)一商法典》和各州法典中，其被當(dāng)作補(bǔ)充性規(guī)則（supplementing rules)[1]。commercial law 則為“商法”， 所指范圍極廣，包括與商業(yè)有關(guān)的各種法律，如合同、代理、 買賣、流通票證、產(chǎn)權(quán)文據(jù)、破產(chǎn)等[2]。但在美國，commercial law所擴(kuò)展的領(lǐng)域并未為人們認(rèn)可，故在美國，其與law merchant 的區(qū)別沒有在其他歐洲國家那樣大，它們經(jīng)常被人當(dāng)作同義詞相互替換使用[4]。

[1]“ The commercial rules developed under English common law that influenced modern commercial law and that are referred to as supplementing rules set down in the Uniform Commercial Code and in state codes. ”Cf. Linda Picani Wood, J. D. , Merriam Webster's Dictionary of Law, at p. 282，Memam-Webster, Incorporated (1996).

[2]“A phrase used to designate the whole body of substantive jurisprudence applicable to the rights, intercourse, and relations of persons engaged in commerce，trade, or mercantile pursuit. ”Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff，Black's Law Dictionary, abridged 6th edition, at p. 185, West Publishing Co. (1991 ).

[3]“Today the term commercial law has assumed a new meaning, a meaning that is new at least to Europe, but not so to the United States or to Louisiana. I refer, of course，to the meaning in which the term is used to describe a certain area of expertise in legal practice or learning, or that branch of law... of special interest to business people. ” Cf. Max Rheinstein，Problems and Obligations, in Essays on the Civil Law of Obligations, at pp. 10—11， Joseph Dainow ed. (1969).

[4] Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 893，West Group (1999).