The functional strategy for domestication and foreignization

The variety of viewpoints presented to be for or against domestication or foreignization are from different perspectives. 

      In fact, both domestication and foreignization have their advantages and disadvantages. Since a translation, generally involves various purposes, different strategies have to be taken in order to achieve each of them. A good translation always contains both strategies. Translators should never hold extreme opinions towards this debate; all we need to do is draw a balance between the two strategies.  

Specific methods

Simply because the primary task of translating is to precisely and fully convey the thought and style of the source text; foreignization should be used in translation as much as possible, in order to fulfil cross-cultural communication.

For example

“fine feather makes fine birds ”

羽毛漂亮鸟儿才漂亮 （直译，异化）

人要衣装，佛要金装

人配衣裳马配鞍

  The reason is that an enormous group of target readers eager to accept the foreign elements known of the foreign culture. 

Conversely, if the translation uses too much foreignization, even beyond the acceptable range, we ought to abandon the foreignization and use the way of domestication.

As mentioned above, the translator should use foreignization as much as possible on the cultural aspect to retain and pass on the features of source language culture. But with regard to language, the translation should mostly be based on domestication with simple and legible words to express the contents and information of source language. 

The primary task of translation is to build bridges of communication between different cultures. It will run counter to the purpose of translation if we make it awkward to understand just to highlight the “otherness” of source language.