从《红楼梦》的英译对比谈“归化”与“异化”

On Domestication and Foreignization by a Contrastive Study of the Two Well-known English Versions of A Dream of Red Mansions

文章探讨了翻译中的归化与异化问题,认为归化与异化不仅有语言层面和文化层面之分,而且有整体策略和具体方法之别,并从以上四个方面入手,通过对《红楼梦》两个英译本的对比分析得出结论:一部成功的译作,在语言层面上,应尽量做到归化,而在文化层面上,则以异化为上策。另一方面,归化与异化作为翻译的整体策略,是译者出于不同的翻译目的和不同的读者对象而做出的一种选择,归化可方便读者阅读,异化则更有利于文化传播,两者的侧重点不同,各有所长,无所谓优劣;而作为具体方法,译者在实际的翻译过程中,则总是将两者结合起来,使之互为补充,相得益彰。

This paper begins with a discussion of the issue of domestication and foreignization, and then points out that the dispute should be dealt with from the perspective of strategy and approach as well as in terms of language form and cultural content. Finally, by a contrastive study of the two well- known English versions of A Dream of Red Mansions by Yangxianyi and David Hawkes respectively, so, he condusions are reached： On one hand, priority should be given to domestication as far as language expression is concerned, whereas foreignization is a better choice in cultural translation. On the other hand, both domestication and foreignization, as two translation strategies, are justified in their own right if we take into consideration the differences in the purpose of translation and the readership; While from the viewpoint of translation approaches, they are complementary instead of being incompatibly opposed to each other seemingly.