The Implications of Foreignization and Domestication in “Moment in Peking”

Research Article
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The Implications of Foreignization and Domestication in “Moment in Peking”

Zhijun Wan 1*
  • 1 Faculty of Languages and Translation, Macao Polytechnic University, R. de Luís Gonzaga Gomes, Macao, 999078, China    
  • *corresponding author p1907850@ipm.edu.mo
CHR Vol.3
ISSN (Print): 2753-7072
ISSN (Online): 2753-7064
ISBN (Print): 978-1-915371-29-4
ISBN (Online): 978-1-915371-30-0

Abstract

This paper aims to review the strategies of Foreignization, and that of Domestication applied respectively in the creation and the back translation of Moment in Peking. This paper chooses the novel Moment in Peking as the research material for the original version of this work tells a Chinese story in English, being translated back into Chinese later. This uniqueness makes it worthy of studying the translation methods behind the two processes. The Chinese author, Yutang Lin, works as a writer and translator to complete this book. There are multiple examples of C-E translation regarding traditional Chinese culture. And the author adopts Foreignization most of the time. Transliteration is used together with extra explanations to convey the proper Chinese expressions to the greatest extent. For the Chinese version of Moment in Peking, the translator, Zhenyu Zhang, relies more on Domestication. The English version uses many free translations concerning proverbs, and the translator finds the corresponding Chinese. Also, in terms of the translation of the titles, the translator employs captions for each chapter, which is a stylish mark in traditional Chinese novels. The different approaches of Lin and Zhang have their own advantages. The former maintains the majority of pronunciations of Chinese culture-proper items, which are deciphered by following sentences. The latter meets with the expression habit of Chinese culture and the recognized format of traditional Chinese literature. Such cases may be helpful to the future translation-relating analysis of works that are written in the target language and translated back to source language.

Keywords:

Foreignization, Domestication, Moment in Peking, Yutang Lin, Zhenyu Zhang

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References

[1]. Lin Yutang. (2009). Moment in Peking. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

[2]. Lin Yutang, & Zhang Zhenyu. (1987). Jinghua Yanyun (Volume 1). Times Literature and Art Publishing House.

[3]. Sun Zhili. (2002). China’s Literary Translation: from Domestication to Foreignization. Chinese Translation Journal, 23(1), 5.

[4]. Yang Lijun. (2010). A Study on Foreignization Translation Strategies of Chinese Cultural-specific Items: The Implications of Expression in Moment in Peking for Chinese-English Translation. College English (Academic Edition) (01), 69-72.

[5]. Hu Yong. (2003). Cultural Nostalgia: Cultural Identity of Chinese American Literature. China Drama Press.

[6]. Zhang Nanfeng. (2004). A Critical Introduction to Aixelá’s Strategies for Translating Culture-specific Items. Chinese Translators Journal, 25(1), 6.

[7]. Lin Yutang, & Zhang Zhenyu. (1987). Jinghua Yanyun (Volume 2). Times Literature and Art Publishing House.

[8]. Lin Dongxuan. (1998). On "Jinghua Yanyun" and Taoist Culture. Journal of Quanzhou Normal University, 000(001), 26-31.

[9]. Han Ziman. (2002). Literary Translation and Hybridization. Chinese Translation, 23(2), 5.

[10]. Xu Jianping, & Zhang Rongxi. (2002). Foreignization and Domestication: an Examination from the Perspective of Cross-culture Translation. Chinese Translators Journal, 23(5), 4.

[11]. Guo Jianzhong. (1998). Cultural Factors in Translation: Foreignization and Domestication. Foreign Languages: Journal of Shanghai International Studies University.

[12]. Wang Hongyin. (2009). College English Translation. China Renmin University Press.

[13]. Wang Hongyin, & Jiang Huimin. (2012). Jinghua Jiushi, Yitan Yanyun: Moment in Peking's Foreign Language Creation and Rootless Back Translation. Foreign Languages and Foreign Language Teaching (2), 5.

[14]. Zhang Hong. (2011). The Translation of Culture: the Application of Transliteration in Moment in Peking ("Jinghua Yanyun"). Chinese Culture Forum (1), 6.

[15]. Shu Qiquan. (1989). Maosi Shenhe, Weimiao Weixiao: Commentary on Zhang Zhenyu's translation of " Jinghua Yanyun". Chinese Translators Journal (2), 6.


Cite this article

Wan,Z. (2023). The Implications of Foreignization and Domestication in “Moment in Peking”. Communications in Humanities Research,3,395-400.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the International Conference on Interdisciplinary Humanities and Communication Studies (ICIHCS 2022), Part 1

ISBN:978-1-915371-29-4(Print) / 978-1-915371-30-0(Online)
Editor:Faraz Ali Bughio, David T. Mitchell
Conference website: https://www.icihcs.org/
Conference date: 18 December 2022
Series: Communications in Humanities Research
Volume number: Vol.3
ISSN:2753-7064(Print) / 2753-7072(Online)

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References

[1]. Lin Yutang. (2009). Moment in Peking. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

[2]. Lin Yutang, & Zhang Zhenyu. (1987). Jinghua Yanyun (Volume 1). Times Literature and Art Publishing House.

[3]. Sun Zhili. (2002). China’s Literary Translation: from Domestication to Foreignization. Chinese Translation Journal, 23(1), 5.

[4]. Yang Lijun. (2010). A Study on Foreignization Translation Strategies of Chinese Cultural-specific Items: The Implications of Expression in Moment in Peking for Chinese-English Translation. College English (Academic Edition) (01), 69-72.

[5]. Hu Yong. (2003). Cultural Nostalgia: Cultural Identity of Chinese American Literature. China Drama Press.

[6]. Zhang Nanfeng. (2004). A Critical Introduction to Aixelá’s Strategies for Translating Culture-specific Items. Chinese Translators Journal, 25(1), 6.

[7]. Lin Yutang, & Zhang Zhenyu. (1987). Jinghua Yanyun (Volume 2). Times Literature and Art Publishing House.

[8]. Lin Dongxuan. (1998). On "Jinghua Yanyun" and Taoist Culture. Journal of Quanzhou Normal University, 000(001), 26-31.

[9]. Han Ziman. (2002). Literary Translation and Hybridization. Chinese Translation, 23(2), 5.

[10]. Xu Jianping, & Zhang Rongxi. (2002). Foreignization and Domestication: an Examination from the Perspective of Cross-culture Translation. Chinese Translators Journal, 23(5), 4.

[11]. Guo Jianzhong. (1998). Cultural Factors in Translation: Foreignization and Domestication. Foreign Languages: Journal of Shanghai International Studies University.

[12]. Wang Hongyin. (2009). College English Translation. China Renmin University Press.

[13]. Wang Hongyin, & Jiang Huimin. (2012). Jinghua Jiushi, Yitan Yanyun: Moment in Peking's Foreign Language Creation and Rootless Back Translation. Foreign Languages and Foreign Language Teaching (2), 5.

[14]. Zhang Hong. (2011). The Translation of Culture: the Application of Transliteration in Moment in Peking ("Jinghua Yanyun"). Chinese Culture Forum (1), 6.

[15]. Shu Qiquan. (1989). Maosi Shenhe, Weimiao Weixiao: Commentary on Zhang Zhenyu's translation of " Jinghua Yanyun". Chinese Translators Journal (2), 6.