Translation Of Agency Contract Words From The Perspective Of Memetics Theory

This dissertation is a translation report of an agency contract text signed on 2014 between an international shipping company and a company with shipping line duly registered in China. Words in the agency contract are formal and special, adopting formal business contract words and also including a large number of technical terms about shipping industry and agent service. In order to complete this translation project successfully and convey every term and condition accurately, three processes of pre-translation preparations, translation of the source text and proofreading after translation are applied.The report explores translation of agency contract words from the perspective of Memetics theory. Memetics theory, proposed by Richard Dawkins, is the evolution theory in cultural field. Meme is a unit of cultural transmission and information, widely existing in people’s daily life. Agency contract words, as a meme itself, must experience certain transmission stages if they transmit from one culture to another. Besides, if target agency contract word meme can be accepted and assimilated by target readers and then become strong memes in target culture, conversion of source agency contract word meme shall conform to certain translation criteria and apply various translation strategies.This report briefly introduces memetics theory, analyzes its transmission stages and selection criteria and gives a classification of the agency contract words. Furthermore, the report puts forward four translation criteria of faithfulness, formality, conformity and expressivity during agency contract words translation. It also proposes three translation strategies, namely, literal translation, changing into strong memes in line with target culture and adopting strong memes in line with industry norms.