The Acceptability Of Foreignizing Translation

Recently, classical foreign novels have attracted a large number of readers at home. Moreover, modern readers’ growing requirements are not only embodied in the quality of semantic expression, but also in the quantity of foreign culture. Previous translation with domestication can only satisfy their basic needs on editorial content, but ignore the cultural facsimile. Hence, their acceptability is questioned frequently nowadays. Meanwhile, those versions, retaining something of the foreignness, have become modern readers’ new favorite. They were translated by foreignization. On the other side, among the diverse criteria for measuring whether a translation is successful,acceptability has become a vital one that does really focus us attention.By reviewing the researches on the acceptability of translation, the thesis explores reference factors that exert impact on the acceptability of foreignizing translation. They are including readers, social ideology, culture facsimile, and overforeignization. With highly qualified readers and liberal social ideology, under the interaction of the internal factors such as high culture facsimile and moderate foreignizing extent, foreignizing translation is acceptable.According to the current researches on Chinese versions of Vanity Fair, this thesis select Rong Rude’s version as a case to analyze whether our readers can accept this new Chinese version. As the requirements of case study, this thesis adopts a questionnaire to collect readers’ relative information and investigates the acceptance of sentences from the version. From the results, we conclude that readers of this novel are distributed in all occupations and age groups. In addition, young people with higher education background such as college students seem to be more interested in this kind of book that contains foreign culture. Today, ideology that is more liberal encourages readers to do cultural communication. Therefore, they will be more proactive in exploring foreign cultures. Developing time calls for foreignizing translation texts in which foreign cultures are involved. High culture facsimile is reflected on the translation of culturally-load words. Colorful foreign words mirror social reality at that time and lively depict characters’ images. Finally, this version attracts a large number of readers at home.By summarizing several reference factors, we can make conclusions as follows:From the cultural dimension, foreignizing translation is acceptable by Chinese mass readers. Through reading these texts, readers can broaden their horizons and learn foreign culture. Their new reading needs can be met.The acceptability of foreignizing translation is restricted by external factors and internal factors at same time. The external factors are hard to control. However, their impact on the acceptability of translation is relatively aggravation. Internal factors are relating to the quality of translation. They are critical to determining the acceptability of foreignizing translation. They are relatively manageable. Translators should keep a special concern on over-alienation.Owing to its high culture facsimile, Rong Rude’s version of Vanity Fair can attract numerous readers and be widely accepted in China.