Author(s)

Yanping Hu

Corresponding Author

Yanping Hu

ABSTRACT

When dealing with cultural elements in translation, domestication and foreignization are on the main stream. Domestication aims to minimize the strangeness of the foreign text, while foreignization strives to preserve the exotic flavor of the source language. Based on an analysis of two English versions of Honglou Meng, the thesis leads to the conclusion that translators’ choices of the two are influenced by such factors as types of texts, the purpose of translation and the expectation of target readership. Both approaches may be justified in their own right if we take into consideration in differences in such factors.

KEYWORDS

Types of texts, purpose of translation, expectation of target readership, domestication, foreignization