An Analysis of Domestication and Foreignization in Chinese-English Translation
泰山医学院毕业设计（论文）
An Analysis of Domestication and Foreignization in Chinese-English
Translation
院（部）系外国语学院
所学专业英语本科
年级、班级2009级3班
完成人姓名杨登朋
指导教师姓名
武清宇教授
专业技术职务
2013年6月12日
An Analysis of Domestication and Foreignization in Chinese-English
Translation
By
Yang Dengpeng
Supervisor: Wu Qingyu
Submitted to the School of Foreign Languages
In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for
The Degree of Bachelor of Arts
Taishan Medical University
Taian, China
June, 2013
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)
Chapter 1 Introduction
The communication among the countries has become much more important than ever along with the economic development of the globe. Translation, especially between cross- language translation, has been playing a crucial role in promoting the cooperation and cultural exchange as a way to communication. The relation of domestication and foreignization, as a strategy and means, once puzzled many translators. It has been discussed in articles issued on the domestic and foreign language journals or magazines, those articles are dedicated into the discussion that the two strategies shall be applied into the translation and the practice. Some of them operate from a strategically advantageous position, making a summary from the respect of literal translation and free translation, no matter in what respect they have made great contribution to broaden the study of domestication and foreignization.
And yet, there still exist some misunderstandings in the discussion among translators. Schleiermacher believes that translation can be divided into two methods: one is leave the author in peace, as much as possible, and move the reader toward the author; another is leave the reader in peace, as much as possible, move the author toward the reader. In China, the principle – faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance - proposed by Yan Fu has a great influence on Chinese translators. While in 1987, Liu Kaiying published the article –Domestication –Translator’s Astray in Modern Foreign Language, pointing that domestication is an astray when translating, thus he energetically advocated the foreignizing translation. On the contrary, Cai Ping held different idea that domestication should mainly be the strategy to translation, believing that the purpose of translation is communication in order to make the readers understand the original meaning, thus domesticating translation can be determined by the essence and purpose of the translation.
Besides, some hold the idea that domestication and foreignization are equal to literal translation and free translation, wrongly realized that the relations of literature strategy & cultural ideology and language strategy & translation skill, which may impede the research of domestication and foreignization.
The paper can be divided into five parts. The first part is the introduction which presents the background and the purpose of the study. In the second part, some relevant issues on the definition of translation, domestication and foreignization are discussed. In the third part, the
relations between domestication and foreignization and their influences on translation undertakings are represented. In the fourth part, domestication and foreignization are exemplified based on some classic masterpieces. The last part is the conclusion.
Chapter 2 Debate on Domestication and Foreignization
The western translation theory has been much developed and varied since the beginning of Cicero and Horatius, meanwhile, the translation theory of China can be traced back to Zhou dynasty, and it has been more than 2000 years since the appearance of the first translation of the poem – The Song of Yue People. However, the definition is various in different ages and among distinct schools, thus a question can never be ignored and avoided is what translation is.
It is defined in such a way in Cihai (a dictionary on Chinese language): Translation is that convey a word or language by using the meaning of another one.
In Concise Oxford English Dictionary, translation is defined: a. the act of an instance of translating. b. a written or spoken expression of the meaning of a word, speech, book, etc. in another language.
Eugene Nida believes: Translation is to use the most appropriate, natural and equivalent language to reproduce the source language message from the semantic to the stylistic. Susan Bassnet holds the opinion that translation is of course a rewriting of an original text.
In China, the widely accepted translation theory is the one proposed by Mr. Yan Fu–faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance. While in western countries, Lawrence Venuti made great contribution to make people better understand the work of translation by putting forward–domestication and foreigniztion.
2.1 Definition of Domestication and Foreignization
Lawrence Venuti, a famous American translator, was the first person to introduce domestication and foreignization in his book - The Translator's Invisibility: A History of Translation. He said that "foreignization is an approach that the translator leaves the author in peace as much as possible, and moves the reader towards him"; while domestication is one that the translator "leaves the reader in peace as much as possible, and moves the author towards him"[1] in the book. By developing these two terms, Venuti meant to argue against the tendency of the transparent translation and invisibility of the translator. Thus, it can be concluded that domestication refers to the target-culture-oriented translation in which unusual expressions to the target culture are exploited and turned into some familiar ones so as to make the translated text intelligible and easy for the target readers, while foreignization is a source-culture-oriented
translation which strives to preserve the foreign flavor as much as possible in order to transfer the source language and culture into the target one.
2.2 Debate on Domestication and Foreignization
The debate on foreignization or domestication can be viewed as the extension of the debate on "literal translation" and "free translation". A literal translation is a translation that follows closely not only the content but also the form of the source language. It is also known as word-for-word translation, and translators engaged in literalism have been willing to sacrifice the formal elements of the target language and even the intelligibility of the target language text for the sake of preserving what they regard as the integrity of the source text. While those who favor free translation have quite often chosen to sacrifice the form of the source language for the sake of elegance and intelligibility in the target language.
The two pairs of strategies share some similarities. literal translation and foreignization put emphasis on the linguistic and stylistic features of the source text, and the target text translated in these ways may not be very smooth in language and the content may not be familiar to the target readers, so they may feel foreign when reading the translation, while free translation and domestication pay more attention to the target audience, because of the smooth sentences, the familiar expressions and cultural phenomena, sometimes the target readers may not realize that they are actually reading a translated text from another culture. However, this does not mean the two pairs are just one. There are some differences between them. When a translator resorts to either literal translating method or free translating method, he puts his attention mainly to the linguistic factors of the source text and tries his utmost to keep the original meaning in the target text. But with the development of the translation studies, plenty of translators and theorists have realized that translation is a far more complicated activity with various cultural, poetic, political as well as economic factors related to it. Therefore, foreignization and domestication are a pair of new translation strategies which are more complex and extensive than literal translation and free translation method.
Domestication and foreignization, on a certain degree, are complementary to each other and a dialectical unity. Some scholars bear the idea in heart that we can not use them both together for they being diverse. If one strategy is used in the beginning, one must finish it with the method he adopts. But we may be unable to work it out so pure in the daily and pragmatic
translation. To achieve a good work, on one hand, we shall faithfully reproduce the original thoughts and styles which may be involved with something exotic and unique in the source language; on the other hand, we shall take the reader’s opinion and the fluency of the work into consideration. So it is quite hard, unwise and unrealistic only to adopt one method in some way. All the work we do is to translate good work no matter which approach we use.
Chapter 3 Relations between Domestication and Foreignization and
the Influences
3.1 Relations
Some scholars consider that domestication and foreignization can not be mixed to use in one work, one must be held on straight to the end if you have to choose one. However, we can never absolutely guarantee the pureness in the actual translations. On one side, we shall faithfully keep the original style and idea which have strong exoticism in the original works, hence foreignizing translation may be inevitable; on the other hand, we shall take the expressiveness, elegance and the target culture, religion, politics, etc. into the consideration, thus domesticating translation can also be necessarily adopted. It is unwise and unreal to choose one strategy without absorbing the advantages of another one, because they both have the merits and demerits.
Meanwhile, we are faced with the choice from the beginning to the end, what we need to do is to seek for a "point" where target language we translated shall approach to the reader, but simultaneously the translation shall be faithful to the original work.And yet, the "point" is not the unalterable "midpoint", we shall always bear the principle into mind that we can never deviate too much no matter what strategy we have chosen. The fluency and the elegance should not be omitted from when foreignization method is adopted; while the exotic style should not be excluded when the domestication method is taken.Thus the best way to create a good translation version is to draw the strong points from one of the two strategy to offset another one’s weakness. In the actual translation, we shall pay additional attention to the complementary and dialectical relations.
3.2 Influences
Translation is not only a linguistic activity, but also a process of thinking. Due to the different culture, nation and the unique thinking or language, domestication and foreignization as the two diverse strategies and methods will play a guiding role in translation.
From a technical perspective, foreignizing translation will be conductive to the national culture construction. It can enrich the local culture and language by absorbing the new expressions. Translation can overcome the inherent specifications, which can refigure a new
culture when the introduced concept has integrated into the local one in a certain time. The words - natural selection and survival of the fittest translated by Mr. Yan Fu has shown a clear way to Chinese people since the end of Qing dynasty when the advanced people spread the new ideas and trends of the western to China, and the translation undertakings of China has ushered a summit since then.
Besides, foreignization will be conductive to spread Chinese culture and carry on & promote the classic culture. For example, Ezra Pound, one of the representatives, interpreted Chinese poem with foreignizing translation, which made Chinese classic culture popular, they tried their best to learn the new things, which boosted their own culture and at the same time promoted the outstanding culture of China.
Domesticating translation will be conductive to enhance and reinforce the sense of identity to the indigenous culture. The translated work using domestication method will make the readers be acquainted for that the translations avoid the differences of language and culture.
Chapter 4 Analysis of Domestication and Foreignization Based on
Some Masterpieces
4.1 Chinese – English
4.1.1 A Dream of Red Mansions
A Dream of Red Mansions is a magnum opus in Chinese history. The book not only has profound ideological value, but also outstanding artistic achievement with classical language. As one of the four greatest novel, it definitely can be called a encyclopedia of feudal society, and yet the translations made by different people can be a far cry from each other. Here I will show you two versions translated by Yang Xianyi & Dai Naidie (Gladys B.Tayler,Gladys Yang)[hereafter referred as to Yang] and David Hawkes & John Minford[hereafter referred as to Hawkes] respectively.
Example 1. 《红楼梦》
Yang: A Dream of Red Mansions
Hawkes: The Story of Stone
We obviously can see the differences, Yang’s translation follows the original title of the book，"red mansion" has a rich culture color in Chinese language. The first thing came into your mind is grand and well-decorated yard. As Du Fu( a poet in Tang dynasty) once rhymed：Behind the vermilion gates of the rich, meat and wine go to waste, but along the road are bones of the poor who have frozen to death. While Hawkes thought the title of A Dream of Red Mansion may result in an error to the readers, which may whittle down the abundant cultural connotation，so Hawkes adopts another way to figure it out to his audience.
Example 2.
众人见黛玉年貌虽小，其举止言谈不俗，身体面庞虽怯懦不胜，却有一段自然的风流态度，便知她有不足之症。
Yang: All present had been struck by Taiyu good breeding, for in spite of her tender years and evident delicate health, she had an air of natural distinction. Observing how frail she looked (2)
Hawkes: Everyone’s attention now centered on Dai-yu. They observed that she was still young, her speech and manner already showed unusual refinement. They also noticed the
frail body which seemed scarcely strong enough to bear the weight of its clothes, but which yet had an inexpressible grace about it, and realizing that she must be suffering form some deficiency.[3]
First, we can get the idea that the name translated is different, "Taiyu" is the product of foreignization, while "Dai-yu" is domestication, and the name handled by Hawkes is quite good for that it is easy to understand. Second, "breeding" and "refinement" is another comparison, Yang did it in a domestication way in accordance with Chinese people’s culture.
Example 3. 某事在人，成事在天
Yang: Man proposes, Heaven disposes [4]
Hawkes: Man proposes, God disposes [5]
The word – Heaven - used by Yang preserved the culture of source text, thereby kept the culture image; while Hawkes took the foreignization method for target language readers, the word – God – is well acceptable by the western for he had changed the color of Buddhism into Christianity.
4.1.2 A Tale of Peach Blossom Spring
A Tale of Peach Blossom Spring, written by Tao Yuanming, is a masterpiece in history. In this article Tao Yuanming romanced a better world isolated the real one to show his desire. There are not a single version on the prose，including the four famous ones: A Tale of the Fountain of the Peach Blossom Spring - by Luo Jingguo, The Peach Colony - by Lin Yutang, Peach-Blossom Springs - by Fang Zhong, Peach-Blossom Source -- by A. R. Davis. You may wonder why the title is not the one chosen from the four famous translations, personally I believe that "tale" is suitable when interpret the title. Now I will present the following instance to discuss the topic.
Example：
晋太元中，武陵人捕鱼为业，缘溪行，忘路之远近。忽逢桃花林，夹岸数百步，中无杂树，芳草鲜美，落英缤纷；渔人甚异之。
Lin: During the reign of Taiyuan of Chin, there was a fisherman of Wuling. One day he was walking along a bank. After having gone a certain distance, he suddenly came upon a peach grove which extended along the bank for about a hundred yards. He noticed with surprise that the grove had a magic effect, so singularly free from the usual mingling of brushwood,
while the beautifully grassy ground was covered with its rose petals. [6]
Davis:During the Taiyuan period (376—396 BC) of Jin, a man of Wuling, who made his living as a fisherman, ascended a stream, forgetful of the distance he traveled. Suddenly he came upon a grove of peach trees in blossom. They lined the banks for several hundred paces: among them were no other kinds of tree. The fragrant herbage was fresh and beautiful; fallen blossom lay in profusion. The fisherman, in extreme wonder, again……
The first sentence between the two versions differs a lot. The word "Chin" and "Jin" translated by the two people in various methods, the first sentence - by Lin can be divided into three short sentences with three verbs, while Davis adopts a long and complicated sentence with only one verb –ascended. Lin’s version except the word above- mentioned is a kind of domestication which is popular and easy to understand for Chinese people; however Davis’s version we can call it foreignization looks more professional.
4.1.3 East Gate
East Gate is a section of the classic poem –East Gate from The Book of Poetry. More than one man has interpreted it, today I will select the version of Zhao Yanchun and Ezra Pound to study the focuses.
Example：East Gate
出其东门，有女如云。虽则如云，匪我思存。缟衣綦巾，聊乐我员。
Zhao: Out of the East Town Gate
Outside the east town gate,
Like clouds, girls congregate.
Although they congregate,
None I take as my mate.
In scarf green and clothes white
She does my heart delight! [7]
Ezra Pound: East Gate
At the great gate to the East
mix clouds
be girls like clouds
who cloud not my thought in the least.
Gray scarf and a plain silk grown
Take delight in one alone.
It is not difficulty to observe that the title of the poem is different. Out of the East Town Gate – by Zhao is faithful to the original and corresponding to Chinese culture. Pound thinks "East Gate" is more reasonable. The word "out" is a verb, but "to" used by Pound is preposition. Mr. Zhao believes that domestication is one of the best way to deal with ancient Chinese poem. The last two sentences Pound translated looks much more better with adopting the foreignization way. The language Pound used is simplicity and the style is clarity, which gives us a new image of traditional Chinese poem.
4.2 English – Chinese
4.2.1 Hamlet
Hamlet, written by Shakespeare, is one of the best-known masterpieces. The work has been translated into many languages, today the following version I chose is from Zhu Shenghao and Bian Zhilin.
Example:
What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angle! In apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me; no, nor woman neither; though by your smiling you seem to say so.
朱:人类是一件多么了不起的杰作！多么高贵的理性！多么伟大的力量！多么优美的仪表！多么文雅的举动！在行为上多么像一个天使！在指挥上多么想一个天神！宇宙的精华！万物的灵长！可是在我看来，这一个昵图塑成的生命算的了什么？人类是我不能发生兴趣；女人也不能使我发生兴趣，虽然从你的微笑之中，我可以看到你的意思。
卞:人是一件多么了不起的作品！理性是多么高贵！力量是多么无穷！仪表和举止是多么端整，多么出色！论行动多么像天使！论了解，多么想天神！宇宙之精华！万物之灵长！可是，对于我，这点泥土里提炼出来的玩意儿算得了什么呢？人，并不能是喔欢喜；不，女人也不行，尽管从你的微笑里，我看出你有相反的意思。[8]
We have to admit that both the two translations are excellent. There are some disparities.
The foremost thing is the word they used: Is "man" just a man or the humanity? What I believe is that Mr. Zhu’s version is better. The second sentence - How noble in reason!- translated by both seems much similar, however, we can safely be realized they applied the diverse sentence structure. Zhu keeps the abundant Chinese culture in a domestication way, while Ms. Bian takes the foreignization method to conduct the translation. The version of Bian is faithful to the original work, meanwhile Mr. Zhu’s give a us a solemn and concise impression for he having altered the sequence of the sentence.
4.2.2 Of Study
Of Study, as a household –known writing finished by Francis Bacon, is a prose of The Essays. Here I chose the version from Wang Zuoliang and Shui Tiantong to show the comparison of domestication and foreignization.
Example 1:
Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.
王：读书足以怡情，足以博彩，足以长才。
水：读书为学的用途是娱乐、装饰和增长才识。
Example 2:
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read , but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.
王：书有可浅尝者，有可吞食者，少数则须咀嚼消化。换言之，有只须读其部分者，有只须大体涉猎者，少数则须全读，读时须全神贯注，孜孜不倦。
水：有些书可供一尝，有些书可以吞下，有不多的几部书则应当咀嚼消化：这就是说，有些书只要读他们的一部分就够了，有些书可以全读，但是不必过于细心地读；还有些不多的几部书则应当全读，勤读而且用心地读。[9]
We clearly can recognize the disparities from the above-mentioned examples. Please pay attention to some words - be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. Wang adopts the domestication way to handle with it, which makes people feel the version has much more literariness than the Shui’s version which follows the foreignization means. The former one keeps the original styles, while the latter one can be regarded as a wonderful work.
Chapter 5 Conclusion
Chapter 5 Conclusion
Translation theory and translation itself can not be separated from each other, the theory is crucial to translation. To correctly understanding the relations between them is extraordinarily important.
They are not in the binary opposition. We may be never, for one hundred percent, sure the pureness of one strategy for that there is no absolutely foreignization or domestication. However, no matter what method we choose, it is our purpose to elaborate the original work.
Nowadays, the exchanges between countries have been increasingly close with the development of multi-polarization in the world. During the culture exchange we advocate cultural pluralism, thus how to fully develop the effect of translation is much more significant. To the criterion of the choice between domestication and foreignization, we shall base on how to better improve the communications. The pivotal issue to master the relations is to apply it into the practice.
Notes
[1] Lawrence Venuti. The Translator's Invisibility: A History of Translation. Shanghai:
Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press. 2004. p.34.
[2] Yang Xianyi and Dai Naidie. The Dream of Red Mansion. Beijing: Foreign Language Press.
2002. p21,
[3] David Hawkes. The Story of the Stone. London: Penguin Books Ltd. 1997. p.25.
[4] Ibid, p.147.
[5] Ibid, p.152.
[6] Liu Chengzhou. The Analysis of Tao Yuanming’s Works. Beijing: Chinese Translators Journal.
2011. p.45.
[7] 赵颜春.出其东门[J].四川外语学院学报，第二十期，2004.p.4.
[8]胡显耀，李力.高级文学翻译[M].北京:北京教学与研究出版社，2009. p.160.
[9] 廖七一.当代西方翻译研究原典选读[M].北京：外语教学与研究出版社，2009. p.190.
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