A Study On Motivations Of Approaches To Translating Chinese Loanwords From The Perspective Of Memetics

Loanwords (also called borrowed words) are those words which are borrowed from another language as the result of language interaction. Loanwords are products of linguistic and cultural interaction between different countries. Due to the reform and open policy in China, the scientific, political, economic and cultural exchanges between China and other countries increase rapidly. A large number of loanwords representing new concepts and exotic things are introduced into Chinese vocabulary like mushrooms after rain and have made great influence and impinge on Chinese language and conventional culture. So it is very important to investigate loanwords in Chinese deeply and systematically. In contrast to western countries, the study of loanwords in China seems less advanced. Traditional study on loanwords has just focused on the collection and classification of loanwords in Chinese and on the correct use of transliteration loanwords. Little attention has been paid to the study of translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese. Based on the achievements of the current research on loanwords in Chinese and a great multitude of loanwords in Chinese available, the thesis makes a systematical motivation study of translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese from a memetic perspective.Memetics is a new theory for interpreting cultural evolution. Memes, invented to suggest a strong analogy with genes, are ideas that spread through human cultures and across the generation. Memes are genes of culture, existing as cultural replicators propagated through imitation; language is one form of their carriers. Memes benefit the development of language, and at the same time they benefit themselves by language in the process of replicating and transmitting.(He Ziran,2005)Memetics studies the replication, transmission and evolution of memes. It provides a new motivation for the systematic study of translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese. The memetic motivation of translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese is as following:Translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese themselves are memes essentially from the memetic perspective. So the evolutionary principle in biology is also suitable to translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese. Translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese also undergo selection and elimination in their transmitting process. Only the fittest translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese can survive. In other words, translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese also evolve in memetic sense. Based on theory of Memtics this thesis will discuss the following issues:1the classification of translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese2The memetic motivations of translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese3the developing tendencies and their memetic motivations of translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese.This thesis has six chapters. Chapter One is introduction. It expounds the purpose, significance and organization of the thesis. Chapter Two Literature review. Firstly it makes a general survey on the memetics study at abroad and home. Then it introduces the domestic study on loanwords. Chapter Three is the research design of the thesis. This part systematically expounds the detailed research process of the thesis. Chapter Four is the analysis of motivations of translation approaches. It systematically studies the evolution and characteristics of translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese and their underlying mnemetic motivations. Chapter Five is the developing tendencies of translation approaches to loanwords in Chinese. It expounds the main developing tendencies of loanwords in Chinese nowadays and their memetic motivations. Chapter Six is the conclusion of the thesis.