8．2　Domesticating Translation and Foreignizing Tra...

8．2　Domesticating Translation and Foreignizing Translation归化与异化

Domesticating translation and foreignizing translation are two terms used by Venuti(1995)．Domesticating Translation(or domestication)is the translation strategy in which transparent，fluent style is adopted in order to minimize the strageness of the foreign text for TL readers．It“leaves the reader in peace，as much as possible，and moves the author towards him．”(Schleiermacher，1838/1963; Venuti，1995: 19-20)However，for Venuti the term domestication has negative connotations as it is identified with a policy common in dominant cultures which are aggressively monolingual，unreceptive to the foreign．Venuti argues that domestication is the predominant translation strategy in Anglo-American culture，and that this is consistent with the asymmetrical literary relations which generally exist between this and other cultures．

Foreignizing translation(or minoritizing translation)is a term used to designate the type of translation in which a TT is produced which deliberately breaks target conventions by retaining something of the foreignness of the original．It stresses that the translator“leaves the author in peace，as much as possible，and moves the reader towards him．”(Schleiermacher，1838/1963; Venuti 1995: 19)It is adopted as the preferred translation strategy because it would represent“a strategic cultural intervention in the current state of world affairs”(Venuti，1995: 20)and challenge the mentality of the dominant culture which sought to suppress the foreignness(or otherness)of translated texts．

Translators and scholars also use the terms dissimilation and assimilation for domesticating translation and foreignizing translation．In fact，dissimilation(alienation)and assimilation，evolving from literal and liberal，are also two methods in translating，which are different from literal and liberal methods．The main difference is that the focus of the literal and liberal methods is how to deal with the form and meaning in the linguistic structural forms of the original，but the contribution of dissimilation and assimilation breakthrough the restriction of language and consider such aspects as language，culture and aesthetics．Literal translation and liberal translation lie in the value of language aspects．Dissimilation and assimilation base themselves upon the value in the cultural context．In other words，a translator is required to approach the author in dissimilation method，and employ the expressions the author uses，to convey the original content．In assimilation method，a translator is asked to come towards the target language readers，and apply to the expressions that they are accustomed to and like，to express the original content．Here are a couple of examples to compare．“To kill two birds with one stone”can be put into一石二鸟．This method is called dissimilation method．If its version is一箭双雕or一举两得，it is，we can say，the assimilation method．The version of “All roads lead to Rome”may be条条大道通罗马or殊途同归，which belong to the different translation methods．

Early in the 1920s and 1930s of the last century in China，Mr．Lu Xun (鲁迅)put forward the advocate of alienation not assimilation．He said ，“翻译必须有异国情调，就是所谓洋气。其实世界上也不会有完全归化的译文，倘有，就是貌合神离，从严辨别起来，它算不得翻译。”(Translation has to cover the foreign appeal，that is，the foreign flavor or style．There is，in fact，no completely domesticating or assimilating translation all over the world．It is，if any，seemingly in harmony but actually at variance．Strictly distinguished，it does not refer to translation．)Unfortunately，his advocate did not evoke emphasis to a great extent in translation field．Assimilation took the advantages for a long time．Since the reform and opening policy，with the coming of the Western translation theory，Chinese translators and scholars have had a new cognition between dissimilation and assimilation．They recognize the importance of dissimilation．As a matter of fact，form serves content，and certain form expresses certain content．The application of the expressions of the original can often express the original meaning accurately and thoroughly．Now a couple of examples are mentioned．

I supposed I should be condemned in Hareton Earnshaw＇s heart，if not by his mouth，to the lowest pit in the infernal regions…(E．Bronte: Wuthering Heights)

　我想，哈雷顿·厄恩肖即便嘴里不说，心里也要诅咒我下到十八层地狱里去……

Comments At first looking，the translation of this sentence is very smooth and accurate in form and meaning．But if the reader is familiar with some common knowledge about religion，he or she will find the mistake the translator made．十八层地狱is the term used in Buddhism．The speaker，however，in the novel Wuthering Heights believes in Christianity．So the speaker cannot say the term like that．According to the method of dissimilation，the version of this sentence should be我想，哈雷顿·厄恩肖即便嘴里不说，心里也要诅咒我下到地狱的最底层…… Language is the reflection of culture．A translator only follows the author＇s thought and expressive style by means of dissimilation，and he or she can fully reflect the cultural features and completely express the authentic meaning of the original．

This hopeful young person soared into so pleasing a Cupid as to constitute the chief delight of the maternal part of the spectators．

　这个很有希望的年轻人就扮成极其讨人喜欢的插着翅膀的爱神丘比特。

Comments: In the West，Cupid is a pretty boy with wings who holds the bow and arrow by hands．He stands for love．Although the translator gave the explanation of the image“丘比特” ，he still translated the name into“丘比特” by transliteration．It is quite sure that many people now know about Cupid．If we employ the domesticating method of assimilation and put it into月老or something like that，the translation will lose cultural features of the original and will cause the cultural misconception or malposition (文化错觉或文化错位)to the reader．

Unless you＇ve an ace up your sleeve，we are dished．

　除非你有锦囊妙计，否则我们是输定了。

Comments The phrase in the original sentence ，“an ace up your sleeve” ，is translated into锦囊妙计，which is usually used in class as a good example for students．But judging from the method of dissimilation，a problem really exists in the translation．This is because the phrase “an ace up your sleeve”in English refers to the King card hidden in one＇s sleeve in gambling game in the Western countries．锦囊妙计，however，is the schemes，stratagems or instructions sealed in a silk bag for dealing with an emergency in ancient Chinese battles or court strife．There is a great difference in the cultural background and implications between them．This will cause the reader to have different associations if we translate it from English to Chinese or from Chinese to English．Therefore the version of this sentence should be除非你袖中藏有王牌，否则我们是输定了by means of dissimilation．

In the process of translating，we cannot use only one method to deal with the original．We usually come across some gaps in translation because of linguistic and cultural differences．In this case，we may employ the other method，assimilation，to bridge these gaps，including lexical gaps and semantic gaps．

Miss Sedley was almost as flurried at the act of defiance as Miss Jemima had been; for，consider，it was but one minute that she had left school，and the impressions of six years are not got over in that space of time．(W．M．Thackeray: Vanity Fair)

　赛特笠小姐看见这样大胆的行为，差不多跟吉米玛小姐一样吃惊。你想，她刚刚跨出校门一分钟，六年来受的教诲，哪里能在这么短短的一刹那给忘掉呢?

Comments Chinese definition of the word“impressions”in a dictionary is印象，影响．If we，according to this definition，put it into六年来得到的印象or六年来所受的影响，Chinese readers may feel it is not smooth enough，or fluent and natural enough．But the translator did not follow the definition in dictionaries，and thoroughly achieved mastery through a comprehensive study of the original and expressed it as教诲according to Chinese practice．The translation is very understandable and readable for Chinese readers．It is also a very good example of assimilation．

High buildings and large mansions are springing uplike mushrooms in Nanjing．

　在南京，高楼大厦犹如雨后春笋般地涌现。

Comments雨后春笋is a term commonly used in China，expressing something that develops so fast that it is just like bamboo shoots after a spring rain．This is a Chinese practice．But the term “like mushrooms”embodies British natural features and practice．If the term is translated into犹如蘑菇般，by means of dissimilation，we believe that the reader cannot accept it，or even not understand it．Therefore we should follow such a principle: A translator tries to convey the foreign flavor or style; meanwhile he or she has to make sure whether the reader accepts the translation or not．

As for the two methods，some scholars suggest the use of dissimilation，and some stick to the other．As we know，the main task of translation is to faithfully reproduce the style and thought of the original，which naturally has strong foreign flavor and style，so much that a translator has to employ the method of dissimilation to fulfill the hard task．Also we have to apply to assimilation to bridge the gaps between two cultures．But we cannot over-assimilate Chinese translation．Here is an example to show over-assimilation．

“Of course it may，”said Angel．“Was it not proved nineteen hundred years ago，if I may trespass upon your domain a little?”

(T．Hardy: Tess of the d＇Urbervilles)

　“当然可以，”安琪说道，“一千九百年以前，不是有人做到了吗?我这是班门弄斧了，请原谅。”

Comments Translating is conducted as a tool of communication．One of its purposes is to introduce a foreign culture to Chinese readers．So a translator should try to retain its culture when translating without over assimilation．Upon reading the Chinese set phrase班门弄斧，a reader may associate it with the Chinese story about this set phrase．It seems that he or she reads a Chinese novel，not a foreign novel．This causes cultural infidelity(文化失真)，that is，it is not true to the original．

To be honest，dissimilation and assimilation are two contradictory elements in one thing．They are the principle aspect and secondary aspect of the contradictions．We think that dissimilation is the principle aspect because of the need of our main task in translation，and assimilation becomes the secondary aspect because it is the method to clear the barriers between languages．Although they find their own positions，they are both important in translating; we cannot attend to one thing and lose sight of another．Generally speaking，we should follow the principles．

First，use dissimilation as possible as we can in translating．Generally speaking，the translation of formal and spiritual similarities is often the result of the method of dissimilation．Therefore，as a translator，dissimilation will be firstly used in translating．

Second，there is the New York of the commuter—the city that is devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night．(E．B．White: The Three New Yorks)

　其次是家住郊区、乘公交车到市内上班的人们的纽约——这座城市每到白天就被如蝗虫的人群吞噬进去，每到晚上又给吐出来。

Comments This sentence vividly describes the situation that the commuter in New York goes to work and goes back home．The writer compares the“commuter”to“locusts” ，which devours New York each day and spits it out each night．The language is vivid and figurative．In order to keep the form and spirit harmonious in translation，the translator successfully uses the method of dissimilation．

Second，if dissimilation does not completely express the meaning of the original or make it smooth，the practice of Chinese expressions can be considered to be used in Chinese versions．

Among so many well-dressed and cultured people，the country girl feltlike a fish out of water．

　跟这么多穿着体面而又有教养的人呆在一起，这位乡下姑娘感到很不自在。

Comments The phrase“like a fish out of water”means uncomfortable because one is in a strange place among people who are very different from oneself．If we translate it into像一条离开水的鱼，the reader may not understand what the phrase means，and the version brings about different understandings and strays from the original meaning．We can say it cannot really convey its true meaning to the reader．So we might as well employ the Chinese habit of expressing很不自在or很不适应．

Third，if dissimilation cannot be applied any more in translating，we may abstain from the form，that is，the surface meaning，but convey the deep meaning of the original．

With determination，with luck，and the help from lots of good people，I was able torise from the ashes．

　凭着我的决心，我的运气，还有许多善良人们的帮助，我终于获得新生。

Comments“Rise from the ashes”is an English set phrase，which comes from an Egyptian tale．If we stand firm for one method and translate this phrase into从灰烬中再生by dissimilation，the reader will be at loss when reading．In this case，获得新生，by accommodation，is much better．

“Oh! Tell us about her，Auntie，”cried Imogen ，“I can just remember her．She＇s theskeleton in the family cupboard，isn＇t she?”

　“She wasn ＇t much of askeleton as I remember her，”murmured Euphemia，“extremely well covered．”(J．Galsworthy: In Chancery)

　“哦，给我们讲一讲她的事儿吧，好姑姑，”伊莫根嚷嚷道，“我几乎记不得她了，她是咱们家衣橱里的骷髅，丑得见不得人，是吗?”

　“我记得她并不像骷髅，”尤菲米娅低声说，“肌肉挺丰满的。”

(选自周方珠，《翻译多元论》，中国对外翻译出版公司，2004)

Comments In this example，the word“skeleton”appears twice．The first one is used in the English allusion“the skeleton in the family cupboard” ，whose version is家丑．The second one is used to describe her specific appearance and image，meaning骷髅．Here we can use neither dissimilation nor assimilation．This is because the reader will be at loss if the version of “the skeleton in the family cupboard”is家丑，and it is very hard for him or her to understand it and the English allusion will lose its implications when it is translated into衣橱里的骷髅．Therefore we try to accommodate it to circumstances and put the sentence“She＇s the skeleton in the family cupboard”into她是咱们家衣橱里的骷髅，丑得见不得人．In this way both the rhetoric effect and allusion implication are kept．At the same time，the national flavor or style is retained in the version．