在例3中，“保税货物”出现了两次，虽然在原文中意思相同，但是在译文却先后翻译成了“goods in bond”和“bonded goods”。根据字典解释，“保税货物”的习惯表达就是“bonded goods”。同时依据译名同一律，为防止译文的模糊不清和译文接受者的费解，“goods in bond”，应统一改成“bonded goods”，从而做到译文语内连贯，在尽可能忠于原文的基础上，帮助译文接受者的理解。
法律语作为授予权利规定义务的规定性语言，无论是英语还是汉语，基本的逻辑结构都是：If P，then Q。也就是说只要条件满足了P，才能进行Q。熟练掌握这种句法结构的固定程式，不仅可以实现译文文本的语内语际连贯，也可以提高翻译的准确性和译者主动灵活性。
例4.
原文：要约可以撤回，撤回要约的通知应当在要约到达受要约人之前或者要约同时到达受要约人。
——《中华人民共和国合同法》第十七条
译文1：If an offer is recalled the notice of recall should arrive before the offeree receives the offer or at the same time as the arrival of the offer.
译文2：An offer may be withdrawn.The notice of withdrawal shall reach the offeree before or at the same time as the offer.
译文3：The offer may be withdrawn if，before or at the same time when an offer arrives the withdrawal notice reaches the offeree.
仔细研读3 种译文，我们就会发现译文3 是最佳选择。译文1 中，主从条件句颠倒了，语内连贯也因此遭到破坏，这无疑会导致译文接受者的迷惑不解。译文 2 的确表达出了和原文一样的意思，但是不简洁，不符合法律语言的文体，没有达到忠于原文法律文本正式语体的语际连贯要求。只有译文3，既抓住原文逻辑概念让译文接收者了然于胸实现了语内连贯，也保持了原文独特法律文本的神韵，做到了语际连贯。所以在进行翻译时，译者应首先分析法律语言中条件句的潜在从属地位，在不拘泥于原文，又不脱离原文的基础上，准确无误主动大胆地选择最佳翻译策略，兼顾语内语际连贯，有效实现法律文本的预期交际目的。
4.3常用条文的英译方法
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 whohave 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 inthese 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.
4.3.2“根据”条文的英译
立法的“根据（依据）”常见有以下表示法：
（1）The following interim procedures…are formulated according to the …
（2）These rules are formulated pursuant to the Interim Regulations for Notarization of the People’s Republic of China …
（3）… these provisions are drawn up in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of the People’s Republic of China.
（4）… these Measures are formulated based on …
（5）The Civil Procedure Law of the People"s Republic of China is formulated on the basis of the Constitution and …
（6）Pursuant to the Constitution，this Law is enacted for the purpose of …
（7）In line with the PRC Constitution Article 6 … and Article 11 … these regulations are formulated in order to …
“根据”文句（也有以之构成独立的“根据”条文的），其表达方式以其使用多寡为序依次有“in accordance with”，“according to”，“pursuant to”，“in line with”，“on the basis of”，“based on”。其中，前三种表达法比较多见，尤其是“in accordance with”为多，“according to”次之，“pursuant to”又次之，最后两种表达方式（“on the basis of”或“based on”）很少用。这四种表达方式都对，但如前所述，笔者个人认为按综合考虑，以“according to”为首选。
4.3.3“目的”条文的英译
立法的目的条文常见有以下表达法：
（1）Pursant to Article 60 of the Customs Law the Rules are formulated with a view to implementing the provisions …
（2）This Forestry Law is formulated for the purpose of speeding up afforestation，…
（3）This Law is formulated in order to protect …
（4）These Regulations are formulated to strengthen fire protection， safeguard…
（5）The present Procedures are formulated in the view to strengthen …
（6）With the view to improving…，the present Procedures are formulated …
归纳起来，表示立法目的（“为了……”）的英语释文有：to +v.，in order to＋v.，with a view to＋-ing，in the view to＋v.，以及for the purpose（s）of。其中purpose所表示之目的仅一项者用单数，“目的”之内涵不止一项，但译者主观上（notionally）当作一个完整的目的，则仍可用单数“purpose”；这时，各项内涵在文字上截然可分，如在文字上介词短语不是“of A，B and C”而是“of A，of B and of C”，则应使用复数“for the purposes”。
4.3.4“实施”条文的英译
常见的句型有：
to be put into effect/force
to come into effect/force
to go into effect/force
（1）本细则自一九九八年十一月一日起施行。
These rules go into effect/force on November 1，1998．
（2）本办法自发布之日起施行。
The present procedures shall be put into effect/force as from the date of its promulgation.
（3）本规定自批准发表之日起施行。
The present provisions shall come into effect/force on the date of promulgation.
此外，动词尚可用enter，be brought以及take等取代，如：
The Agreement between the UK and the State of Kuwait for the avoidance of double taxation … entered into force on April 8，1985．
Adopted on 25，July 1985，the Directive must be brought into force by 30，July 1988．
SEC.2 Effectivity.The provisions of National Internal Revenue Code of 1977 shall take effect immediately，without prejudice，howe- ver，to …
再如，综合公式中的“effect/force”，它也完全可以启用“operation”而代之：
These Regulations… came into operation on January 1，1984 …
