An Analysis of Domestication and Foreignization in
Chinese-English Translation
Abstract
Guo Moruo once said translation is such a creative work that a good translation can be equal to, may even exceed, the original creation. It is never a mediocre job, and can sometimes more difficult than creation. In writing, one shall be rich experienced; while, in translating, one has to taste the life the author experienced.
In contemporary world, inter-translation between two different languages is playing a more and more crucial role in domestic & international communication with the development of economy and society. Translation theories, both in the western countries and in China, have been acting an indelible effect during the long-term academic exchanges. However, people have insufficient knowledge to translation or translation theory in the current. The viewpoint on domestication and foreignization put forward by Venuti in The Translator's Invisibility: A History of Translation has made huge contributions to the understanding of translation. However, the translated work of the same one is various to diverse translators, just like the words goes: there are a thousand Hamlets in thousand people’s eyes. Among the sundry versions, we would always discover the fine distinction through careful and considerable reading.
Domestication and foreignization are two distinct translation strategies. This paper presents the relation of supplementing each other, and emphasizes on the description of the distinct embodiment of the two different theories in inter-translation of Chinese and English, to discuss the similarities and differences and influences in order to further improve translation undertakings.
Key words: domestication; foreignization; similarities and differences; influences; embodiment
摘要
郭沫若先生曾说：翻译是一种创造性工作，好的翻译等于创作，甚至还可能超过创作。这不是一件平庸的工作，有时候翻译比创作还要困难。创作要有生活体验，翻译却要体验别人体验的生活。
在当代，随着经济与社会的发展，跨语言间的互译在国内及国际交往中发挥着越来越重要的作用。中西方的翻译理论在长期的学术交流中发挥着不可磨灭的作用。然而当前人们对于翻译或者相关的翻译理论认识却不足。韦努蒂先生在《译者的隐身》一文中提出了归化和异化的观点，使人们对翻译的认识有了一个很大的进步。然而对同一作品各个译家翻译也不同，正如那句话说的：一千个人眼里有一千个哈姆雷特。在各种版本的译文中，细心研读我们总可以发现细微不同。
归化和异化是处理语言风格与文化差异的两种不同的翻译策略，本文用实例展示了两者在翻译过程中相辅相成、并用互补与共存的辩证统一的关系，着重从两种不同的翻译方法在中英双语互译时的不同体现描述，探讨异同以促进翻译事业的进步。
关键词：异化； 归化；异同；影响；体现
Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 2 Debate on Domestication and Foreignization ............................................ 3
2.1 Definition of Domestication and Foreignization.............................................................. 3 2.2 Debate on Domestication and Foreignization .................................................................. 4
Chapter 3 Relations between Domestication and Foreignization and the Influences 6
3.1 Relations ........................................................................................................................... 6 3.2 Influences ......................................................................................................................... 6
Chapter 4 Analysis of Domestication and Foreignization Based on Some Masterpieces ............................................................................................................... 8
4.1 Chinese – English ................................................................................................................ 8
4.1.1 A Dream of Red Mansions ..................................................................................... 8 4.1.2 A Tale of Peach Blossom Spring ............................................................................ 9 4.1.3 East Gate .............................................................................................................. 10 4.2 English – Chinese .............................................................................................................. 11
4.2.1 Hamlet .................................................................................................................. 11 4.2.2 Of Study ................................................................................................................ 12
Chapter 5 Conclusion ............................................................................................... 13 Notes ......................................................................................................................... 14 Bibliography ............................................................................................................. 15 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... 16