Domestication And Foreignization

The present thesis is intended for probing two opposite translation strategies: domestication and foreignization. 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 foreignness of the original. Since the 1970s of last century, cultural studies have attracted more attention in the field of translation theory. This 'culture turn' has led to the ever-heating argument between domestication and foreignization, which has turned translation strategies from linguistic level to cultural, poetic and political concern.Moreover, literature translation requires transferring the original cultural codes as much as possible to TT readers. Shen Congwen is a Chinese indigenous writer, whose works embedded full local color of West Hunan. Therefore, it is worthwhile analyzing the English versions of his fictions. By contrasting the three English versions witrtheiroriginal, the thesis aims at offering some implication on the general tendency of translation strategy in translating cultural-bound literature, especially for Chinese-English literary translation.It falls into 5 chapters. First, a general survey of domestication and foreignization is put forward. Then the structure of the thesis is proposed. Second, both studies abroad and at home are reviewed from a historical point of view. The focus of dispute is attended to with care. Third, since translation does not happen in a vacuum, factors influencing domestication and foreignization are analyzed in detail,...