王金根
（泉州师范学院 陈守仁工商信息学院 362000）
内容摘要：default rule 中default一词的具体含义，法律英语词典中都缺乏解释。为此，有必要借鉴default一词在计算机英语中之意思，结合法律之基本原理，将其解释为“任意性的，补充性的”。
关键词：default，词义，补充性
笔者在翻译《欧洲法通则：销售》时曾遇到default rule一词，查过几部专业性法律词典，都无结果。后根据本人对文本上下文的理解，最终将其翻译为：任意性规范。此后，本人在在查阅英文资料时再度遇见，从而激发笔者深入追究该词含义之愿望。现将笔者对default一词含义之理解形成本文，以求教于法律界、翻译界前辈、同仁。
一、default出现之文本
1、Article 1:203: Default or mandatory status
(1) The parties may derogate from these Principles unless otherwise provided.
(2) The parties may not derogate to the detriment of the consumer from a consumer protection rule set out in these Principles.——PRINCIPLES OF EUROPEAN LAW: SALES
2、Types of rules in the UPA
a) Default
Most of the rules controlling the relationships of the partners are default rules - they apply only when the partners do not specify differently.
b) Mandatory
Most of the rules controlling the p-ship's relations with the rest of the world are unchanging.——OUTLINE EXCERPTS ON AGENCY, PARTNERSHIPS, AND CORPORATIONS
3、default rule
A legal principle that fills a gap in a contract in the absence of an applicable express provision but remains subject to a contrary agreement.
—— Black’s Law Dictionary, eighth edition, Bryan A. Garner
二、法律词典对default词义之解释
1、Default 缺席者；不出庭者；拖欠着；不履行债务者；违约者；挪用（亏空）公款者；侵占受托款项者；违反义务者；手续懈怠者；[英] 违反军规者；犯军纪者。
——最新英汉法律词典 彭金瑞 编著 中国法制出版社 2001年版
2、Default n. failure to do something which is required by law, such as failure to carry out the terms of a contract, especially failure to pay back a debt. 拖欠，不履行，违约（未做法律要求做的事，如不履行合同条款，尤指不还债）；v. to fail to carry out the terms of a contract, especially to fail to pay back a debt. 拖欠，不履行（不履行合同条款，尤指不还债）。
—— 英汉双解法律词典（第二版） [英] P.H.柯林 编著 陈庆柏 王景仙 译 世界图书出版公司 1998年版
3、Default 不履行；缺席判决。指某人应该做某事而没有履行其义务。缺席判决是指在被告故意、过失或因疏忽没有适当地采取必要措施出庭为其辩护的情况下所作的判决，这种缺席判决也是有效的。 ——牛津法律大辞典 [英] 戴维 M. 沃克 北京社会与科技发展研究所组织翻译 光明日报出版社 1988年版
4、Default n. 缺席，不到案；不出庭；不履行义务，拖欠，违约；玩忽，怠职。 v. 缺席，不到案；处以缺席判决；不履行，拖欠；疏怠职责，玩忽职责。 ——英汉法律词典 《英汉法律词典》编写组编 法律出版社1985年版
5、Default 缺席；不出庭；缺席日期和其他诉讼手续的懈怠；不履行债务；拖欠
—— 法律英语随身查小词典 浩瀚 景文 张菊香主编 中国书籍出版社 2000年版
6、default n./v. 不履行义务（尤其偿还债务之义务），不作为
——英汉法律用语大辞典 宋蕾主编 法律出版社2005年版
7、Default failure to discharge a duty. The term is often used in the context of mortgages to describe failure of the mortgagor to pay installments when due, and in the context of judicial proceedings to describe failure of one of the parties to take procedural steps to prevent entry of a judgment against him (called a default judgment). See delict.
——Dictionary of Legal Terms A Simplified Guide to the Language of Law Third Edition by Steven H. Gifis Former Associate Professor of Law Rutgers University School of Law/Newark 1998
8、default 1) n. failure to respond to a summons and complaint served on a party in the time required by law. If a legal answer or other response is not filed, the suing party (plaintiff) can request a default be entered in the record, which terminates the rights of the defaulting party to defend the case. Under a unique New York statute a default can be taken by failure to respond to a summons served without a complaint. 2) the failure to make a payment when due, which can lead to a notice of default and the start of foreclosure proceedings if the debt is secured by a mortgage or deed of trust. 3) v. to fail to file an answer or other response to a summons and complaint, or fail to make a payment when due.
——http://dictionary.law.com/default2.asp?selected=459&bold=default||
9、 Default French de-faulte, to want, fail. (1) Something wrongful; some omission to do that which ought to have been done. (2) an omission, neglect or failure to do something required by law, or by a court administering the law. When a defendant omits to plead within the time allowed for that purpose, or fails to appear at the trial, he "makes default", and the judgment entered in the former case is "a judgment by default". When the plaintiff makes default he may be non-suited; but a default, in either party, for cause shown, may be "excused" or "saved".
——http://ecclesia.org/lawgiver/D.asp
10、default A failure to perform a legal duty. For example, a default on a mortgage or car loan happens when you fail to make the loan payments on time, fail to maintain adequate insurance or violate some other provision of the agreement. Default on a student loan occurs when you fail to repay a loan according to the terms you agreed to when you signed the promissory note, and the holder of your loan concludes that you do not intend to repay.——http://www.nolo.com
11、default n. the omission or failure to perform a legal or contractual duty; esp., the failure to pay a debt when due. Vb.1.to be neglectful; esp., to fail to perform a contractual obligation. 2.to fail to appear or answer. 3. to enter a default judgment against (a litigant).
—— Black’s Law Dictionary, eighth edition, Bryan A. Garner
将上述词义如缺席、不作为、违约等代入前述上下文本中，可知词义根本不当。
三、对default一词推定之解释
既然从上述词典中都无法查出default一词的含义，因此，只有根据default出现之上下文，结合法学之基本理论，进行意译。
前述文本1的意思为：（1）当事人得排除本通则之适用，但另有规定者外。（2）但当事人不得排除本通则对消费者保护之规定而损害消费者利益。文本2的含义为：规范合伙人之间关系的规则大部分属于default性规范（default rule）。文本3的含义为：在合同中缺乏可适用之明示性规范时填补该漏洞的法律性规则，但有相反约定除外。
根据法学之基本原理。规范分为两种，一种为强制性规范，一种为任意性规范。“法律制定有补充当事人之间合同约定的规定，它们只在当事人没有另作约定的范围内才适用。由于这些补充规范的效力不及当事人另行约定的效力强，因此我们称之为任意规范，或可以通过约定予以排除或变更的规范。与此相反，有些规定适用于任何一种情形：即使当事人作了不同的约定，这些规定仍然适用，亦即它们的适用是不以当事人的意志为转移的。我们称这些规范为强制规范或不可通过约定予以排除或变更的规范。”（德国民法通论 [德]卡尔 拉伦茨 王晓华等译 法律03版）
由此可见，此处default一词可解释为“任意性的、补充性的”。那么，default是否实际上有此含义呢？能否进行验证呢？
四、对default一词含义之验证
为了进一步确定default是否可以解释为“任意性、补充性”，笔者特意查阅了综合性英语大辞典以及计算机英语词典，结果如下：
1、Default n. Middle English defaute, defaulte, from Old French defaute, from defaillir to be lacking, fail, from de- + faillir to fail
(1) failure to do something required by duty or law : neglect
(2) archaic : fault
(3) a failure to pay financial debts
(4) a: failure to appear at the required time in a legal proceeding b: failure to compete in or to finish an appointed contest
(5) a selection automatically used by a computer program in the absence of a choice made by the user.
——Encyclopedia Britannica 2004 Deluxe Edition
2、Default
(1) preset option: an option that will automatically be selected by a computer if the user does not choose one
(2) failure to do something: a failure to meet an obligation, especially a financial one
(3) law nonappearance in court: a failure to make a summoned court appearance
(4) sports nonparticipation in competition: a failure to appear for or complete a competition
——http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861603291/default.html
3、default
n. a pre-selected option adopted by a computer etc. when no other is specified by the user.
Adj. adopted by a computer etc. if no other command is given.
——Shorter Oxford English Dictionary 上海外语教育出版社 2004年版
4、default 默认、缺省、系统设定值
——新英汉计算机词典（第二版）清华大学出版社1999年版
5、default 系统设定、[预置]值、隐含值、缺省值
——英汉双向计算机词典 上海交通大学出版社 2002年版
Default n. what exists or happens if you do not change it intentionally by performing an action 既定的事实，设定的规格、程序等；
——英汉双解剑桥国际英语词典 上海外语教育出版社2001年版
根据上述各辞典之解释，default在计算机术语中词义为“预先设定的，在使用者未做出选择时，计算机所作的自动性选择”。可见，该含义与法学理论中“任意性规范”意思相当接近。故有理由认为，default一词，在法律上可以解释为“任意性的、补充性的”。
参考文献：
1、Dictionary of Legal Terms A Simplified Guide to the Language of Law Third Edition by Steven H. Gifis Former Associate Professor of Law Rutgers University School of Law/Newark 1998
2、Black’s Law Dictionary, eighth edition, Bryan A. Garner
3、最新英汉法律词典 彭金瑞 编著 中国法制出版社 2001年版
4、英汉双解法律词典（第二版） [英] P.H.柯林 编著 陈庆柏 王景仙 译 世界图书出版公司 1998年版
5、牛津法律大辞典 [英] 戴维 M. 沃克 北京社会与科技发展研究所组织翻译 光明日报出版社 1988年版
6、英汉法律词典 《英汉法律词典》编写组编 法律出版社1985年版
7、法律英语随身查小词典 浩瀚 景文 张菊香主编 中国书籍出版社 2000年版
8、英汉法律用语大辞典 宋蕾主编 法律出版社2005年版
9、Shorter Oxford English Dictionary 上海外语教育出版社 2004年版
10、英汉双解剑桥国际英语词典 上海外语教育出版社2001年版
11、新英汉计算机词典（第二版）清华大学出版社1999年版
12、英汉双向计算机词典 上海交通大学出版社 2002年版
13、德国民法通论 [德]卡尔 拉伦茨 王晓华等译 法律出版社2003年版
14、Encyclopedia Britannica 2004 Deluxe Edition
On the Meaning of Default
Jingen Wang
(TSBIT Quanzhou Normal University, 362000)
Abstract: For the meaning of default in “default rule”, there is no explanation in the legal English dictionary. It is necessary to take reference to the meaning of default in the computer English dictionary and the legal theory to define it as “optional”.
Keywords: default, meaning, optional
