To Foreignize or To Domesticate
Abstract1： Domesticating translation and foreignizing translation are two
different translation strategies. The former refers to the translation
strategy in which a transparent, fluent style is adopted in order to minimize
the strangeness of the foreign text for target language readers, while
the latter designates the type of translation in which a target text deliberately
breaks target conventions by retaining something of the foreigness of the
original. But what is the translation practice like in China? Do translators
tend to use foreignizing methods or domesticating ones? What are the factors
that affect their decision making? This paper tries to find answers to
the questions by looking into the translation of English metaphors into
Chinese.
Key words: domesticating translation; foreignizing translation; metaphor;
target
language reader
1. Introduction
"Domesticating translation" and "foreignizing translation" are the terms
coined by L. Venuti (1995) to describe the two different translation strategies.
The former refers to the translation strategy in which a transparent, fluent
style is adopted in order to minimize the strangeness of the foreign text
for target language readers, while the latter designates the type of translation
in which a target text "deliberately breaks target conventions by retaining
something of the foreigness of the original" (Shuttleworth &Cowie, 1997:59).
The roots of the terms can be traced back to the German philosopher Schleiermacher’s
argument that there are only two different methods of translation, " either
the translator leaves the author in peac
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