Domestication & Foreignization-A Case Study Of Five Chinese Versions Of Robinson Crusoe

Whether Domestication or Foreignization should be applied has been the topic of discussions in translation studies for a long time. Many scholars have proposed theories from different aspects, but no universally accepted standard has been set. The two Translation Methods or Strategies have been related to the translation of cultural elements. The process of translation is the process of the source culture getting into the target culture. However, because of different views of different translators, sometimes target culture may go back to translations consciously or not. The appearance of the situation has close relationship with translators'thought of Domestication and Foreignization. Different translators put different emphasis on Domestication and Foreignization in dealing with target culture getting involved into translation. Therefore, the thesis focuses on the application of the two Translation Methods in the five different re-translated versions of Robinson Crusoe. The author claims that with time going by, the translating of source culture is on the development from Domestication to Foreignization.This thesis is concerned with the origins and theories related to Domestication and Foreignization. The author proposes the notion of"Approach", and differentiates it from"Strategy"and"Method". Translation Approach is the general direction the translator chooses to do translation. Under Translation Approach, there are two layers: linguistic layer and cultural layer. In different layers, the translator can choose to apply Domestication or Foreignization Method. If Domestication Method is applied in both layers, then it is Domestication Approach. If Foreignization Method is applied in both layers, then it is Foreignization Approach. The third is Neutralization Approach, that is, in linguistic layer, Domestication Method is applied; in cultural layer, Foreignization Method is applied. Among them, Neutralization Approach lays emphasis on the combination of Domestication and Foreignization, and further researches should be done in this field.For foreign literary works involving rich cultural background, and Chinese having much more cultural heritage, many difficulties may appear when foreign literary works are translated into Chinese. The five different re-translated versions of Robinson Crusoe in this thesis, from the prospective of time, cover almost 100 years, and also face the evolution from the classical Chinese language to vernacular language. On target culture going to translation, it has not only the difference caused by different times, but also the one caused by different translations in the same times. As far as translation strategies are concerned, by the development of times, different cultures contact with and make up for each other. Therefore, from now on, the re-translation may much more consciously tend to apply to Foreignization on culture concept. However, foreignized translation will be dissolved in target culture by the choice of readers and become a part of it finally. That is the result of interaction between Foreignization and Domestication.