三、优先性表达
合同里经常会出现约定不一致的条款。例如，某个条文对一方设定了一般性的限制，但另一个条文又要求该方实施特定行为。当两个条文发生冲突时，应该遵守哪一个？此时，优先性表达就会明确哪个条款优先于其他条款适用。
1.“provisos”
“provisos”（限制条款、但书）用于在一般性规则之下设立条件或例外，表明该条件或例外在适用时优先于前文的一般规则。
The Licensee shall deliver sales reports to the Licensor on the last business day of each week；provided，however，that such delivery may be made on the first day of the following week if the number of business days in the week covered by the report is less than five.
被许可人应在每周最后一个工作日向许可人提交销售报告；但是，如果一周内少于5个工作日，那么可在次周的首日提交。
特别注意，作为常见合同用语，“provided”被广泛适用于许多场合，可能表达不同的含义，第十七章将具体分析如何防止歧义。
2.“notwithstanding/despite anything to the contrary/the foregoing”
·notwithstanding anything to the contrary（尽管有相反约定）
·notwithstanding the foregoing（尽管有前述约定）
·despite anything to the contrary（尽管有相反约定）
·despite the foregoing（尽管有前述约定）
这四个短语表示如果后文的内容与其他条款不一致时效力优先。
The Purchaser shall make each milestone payment on the date stated in Section 6.3. Notwithstanding the foregoing，on up to three occasions during the term of this Agreement，the Purchaser may，by prior notice to the Seller，delay the payments by a period not to exceed on each occasion 3 business days.
买方应于第6.3条所定日期完成里程碑支付。尽管有前述约定，在本协议期间内不超过三次的情况下，买方可事先通知卖方将付款期限推迟不超过3个工作日。
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section，the Licensee may set up subsidiaries within the Licensed Territory.
尽管本条有相反约定，但被许可人可以在许可区域内设立子公司。
3.“except as otherwise（expressly）provided/stated”
“except as otherwise provided”（除非有相反约定）和“except as otherwise expressly stated”（除非有明确的相反约定）这两个短语通常后接一般性规则，同时为其他条文做出例外约定留下了空间。
Except as otherwise provided herein，all payments described under this Contract will be made in US dollars.
除非此处另有约定，本合同项下的所有款项均以美元支付。
Except as otherwise expressly stated in Section 8，the Shareholder may not transfer any of the Preferred Shares.
除非第8条另有明确约定，股东不得转让优先股。
4.“without limiting the generality of the foregoing”
合同中先约定一项基本原则，然后特别提到该原则的某些具体适用方式或场景，双方希望强调：具体适用只是示例，不影响前面原则的普遍有效性。此时，就可以用到“without limiting the generality of the foregoing”（不限制前述内容的一般适用性）。
下面两个条款摘自同一份合同：
The Owner shall maintain insurance at levels and with deductibles consistent with customary business practices in the Owner's industry.
业主方应按照其所在行业的商务惯例购买相应水平和免赔额的保险。
The Owner's insurance for casualty losses in respect of its plant shall at no time be less than $5 million.
业主方对其工厂意外损失的保险额不得低于500万美元。
问题是，如果业主方按第二个条文购买了500万美元的保险，那么是否还必须遵守第一个条文约定的行业惯例？仅从这两个条文，无法给出确定答案。如果第一条的适用性不受影响，那么为免产生疑问，可在第二条的起始插入“without limiting the generality of the foregoing”。这样，两个条文的适用关系就描述清楚了。
可改为：
The Owner shall maintain insurance at levels and with deductibles consistent with customary business practices in the Owner's industry.
业主方应按照其所在行业的商务惯例购买相应水平和免赔额的保险。
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing，the Owner's insurance for casualty losses in respect of its plant shall at no time be less than $5 million.
在不限制前述内容一般适用性的情况下，业主方对其工厂意外损失的保险额不得低于500万美元。