兩個(gè)單詞都可用作指合同或契約期限的延續(xù),兩者意思雖然相近,但卻有較大差異。主要差別在于renewal是指重新創(chuàng)制一種法律關(guān)系或用一新合同取代舊合同,而非僅僅延展先前的關(guān)系或合同(the re-creation of a legal relationship or the replacement of an old contract with a new contract,as opposed to the mere extension of a previous relationship of contract [1]),故其為合同或契約等的“重訂”或“續(xù)訂”而非舊合同或契約的“展期” (先前不少英漢詞典不加區(qū)別的將renewal of a contract或to renew a contract譯為合同的“展期”顯然是錯(cuò)誤的[2])。而extension則指同一合同或契約延續(xù)一定規(guī)定期間的效力(the continuation of the same contract for a specified period [3]),故其才真正是合同或契約等的“展期”。同理,與renewal和extension相對(duì)應(yīng)的動(dòng)詞renew及extend與合同或契約等連用時(shí)也應(yīng)各自區(qū)別,分另譯為合同的“續(xù)簽”及合同的“展期”。
[1] Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 1299, West Group (1999).
[2] 參見(jiàn)《英漢法律詞典》編寫(xiě)組:《英漢法律詞典》,法律出版社1999年版, 第678頁(yè);陳慶柏等譯:《英漢雙解法律詞典》,世界圖書(shū)出版社1998年版,第471 頁(yè);陸谷孫:《英漢大詞典》,譯文出版社1995年版,第2863頁(yè)。
[3] Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition,at p. 604,West Group
(1999).