In translation studies, translation strategy is often mixed up with translation method. As a matter of fact, the former refers to foreignization and domestication; while the latter refers to free translation and literal translation. Foreignization and domestication, as two main translation strategies not only about the forms of two kinds of languages but also the cultural factors, are different from free translation and literal translation—concerning the structures and the features of two kinds of languages. The choice of translation strategies is influenced by the restriction of cultural factors. And translation strategy is the key factor in the course of translation.
II. A Historical Retrospection of Translation Strategy
Translation is one of the most complicated and difficult activities in the world of human beings. It refers to the cognition, appreciation of the beauty, training of the language and culture, and so on. Translators from the East and West have been most extensively studied and discussed it since it came into being before 2000 years ago. With the development of the times, the range and scale of translation is becoming wider and wider. At the same time, people have new definition to translation. The understanding of translation has shifted in its traditional sense: it is not just a simple transfer of language signs but a kind of process of the cultural transmission. Translation has become an inter-cultural behavior. Therefore translation has a closely connection with culture. In face of different kinds of culture, the translator will adopt different translation strategies with might and main to make the target version read smooth and clear. Then the author would give an account of the historical retrospection of translation strategy from the field of translation from home and abroad. 浅析影响翻译策略的文化因素(2):http://www.751com.cn/yingyu/lunwen_23428.html