Domestication And Foreignization On Interpretation Of Chinese Culture-specific Words In Conference Interpreting

Which strategy should be best adopted by translators between domestication andforeignization is heatedly debated in translation theory field, while these twostrategies are not concerned so much in interpretation theory field. The presentresearch aims to study the applications of domestication and foreignization from theperspective of intercultural communication on interpreting Chinese culture-specificwords in conference interpreting. In recent years, Translation theory experts havebegun to shift the focus of study from domestication supported by Nida’s dynamicequivalence to foreignization advocated by Venuti. With the acceleration of economicglobalization, each country tries to retain its own special and unique culture and avoidthe intrusion from another. This thesis introduced these two translating approachesinto interpreting to explore the specific usages on definite conference interpretingoccasions.According to above-mentioned translating approaches, this thesis specializes inanalyzing common Chinese culture-specific words involving in idioms, allusions,classical poems, unique Chinese terms and Chinese speech stylistic utterancesexcerpted from top leader’s speeches in press conferences in NPC and CPPCCsessions and on some important business conferences. Through a detailed studyinterpreters are found to advocate foreignization strategy to transmit message to theaudience when dealing with Chinese culture-specific words involved in allusions,idioms, poems, while interpreters would select domestication strategy as tackling theunique stylistic terms. The choice-making of the strategies has a close relation withthe special working mechanism of interpreting and is determined by limited time forconference interpreting, working pressure, required fidelity and interpreters’intercultural awareness as well. In order to realize an optimum communicative effect,interpreters should choose the right way according to the definite context instead ofbeing fascinated by advocating foreignization. Moreover, interpreters should spare noefforts to cultivate their intercultural awareness so as to improve interpreting quality.