A Critical Evaluation of Venuti’s Domestication and Foreignization Theory of Translation

Abstract

The primary objective of this paper is to introduce, examine, and critically evaluate Venuti’s domestication and foreignization theory of translation in terms of power relations and cultural encounters. Domestication and foreignization are seen as two discordant translation tendencies in the sense that the first one involves adopting a fluent and transparent style in translation, by replacing all the unfamiliar elements with domestic variants in order to reduce the foreignness of the source text and help the target reader approach it with ease and familiarity, whereas the latter retains the foreign aspects of the original text and ignores the target reader’s potential comprehension difficulties. The controversial issue over domestication and foreignization has been the crux of contention in the translation circle for a very long time. In fact, these two strategies are still creating theoretical discussions and springing up heated debates among translation scholars. This article comes to the conclusion that such controversy cannot possibly be resolved by considering which is better than the other or which one has the priority over the other. Rather, these two strategies should be regarded as a continuum that provides heuristic tools for translators to help them successfully overcome the various cultural hindrances in translation.