2。2。1 Definition of foreignization and domestication 3

2。2。2 Debates on foreignization and domestication 3

2。2。 2。1 Debates abroad 3

2。2。2。2 Debates at home 3

3 Application of foreignization and domestication in idiom translation 3

3。1 Preference of foreignization in idiom translation 3

3。2 Foreignization as a major strategy in proverb translation 3

3。2。1 To retain SL cultural implications 3

3。2。2 To retain SL religious belief 3

3。2。3 To retain SL emotions 3

3。2。4 To retain SL Conventions, Values and Aesthetic Perspective 3

3。3 Domestication as a supplementary strategy 3

3。3。1 Domestication by abandoning SL images 3

3。3。2 Domestication by substituting SL images 3

3。4 Combination of foreignization and domestication 3

3。5 Summary 3

4 Conclusion 3 

1 Introduction

1。1 Research background of the paper

As more attention has been paid to the cultural influence in translation nowadays, debate between foreignization and domestication, two cultural translation strategies, has become one of the focuses in current translation studies。 Nida is he representative of the domestication translation。 He not only puts forward concept of domesticating translation that is "the closest natural equivalence", but also put the target language reader  at first and carefully analyze the intention of the source language, adopting the "Functional isomorphism" strategy to seek the same reaction from the target language reader and the source language reader。 Venuti is the representative of the foreignization translation 。The so-called foreignization, that is, the purpose of translation, is consistent with the source language as much as possible。 Many scholars have studied this topic from many aspects, this paper focuses on the translation strategies from cross-cultural perspective。

 Actually, these two translation strategies have long been practiced by translators both at home and abroad。 Some hold that every target text should be domesticated so that it will read like an original work; while some believe that it should be foreign and read like a translation; others take their stance in between the two extremes and regard both as necessary。 Since idioms are linguistic symbols loaded with cultural connotations, translators should bear in mind taking cultural elements into account during the process of translation。 

1。2 Significance and purpose of the paper

Due to the importance of culture, it is of great significance to study the relationship between translation and culture and the relationship between domestication and foreignization in the communication。 Since idiom is the essence of culture, it reflects people’s life styles and thinking patterns, it is appropriate way to test whether foreigniztion or domestication could be used in cultural translation。 Thus the study of idioms translation from cross-cultural perspective is of great significance。

This paper focuses on how to make a choice between domestication and foreignization in translating process。 It starts with the relationship among culture, language, idiom and translation。 Then it moves to the analysis of the two translation strategies。 This paper holds that domestication and foreignization are not contradictive but mutually complementary。 Both domestication and foreignization are necessary in the transfer of cultural elements。 Under a circumstance of globalization and ever-increasing exchanges among different cultures, foreignization should be the general trend, but when foreignization is not feasible, translators should resort to domestication as a supplementary method。