A Comparative Analysis of the Translation Strategies of "Foreignization" and "Domestication" in the English Versions of Lun Yu by Ku Hungming and James Legge

Abstract

Lun Yu, also known as The Analects of Confucius, has been a masterpiece of traditional Chinese culture and has been very influential in China, even in the world. As the influence of The Analects of Confucius grows, its different versions of translation has become a topic of interest and has been discussed by many people. In the process of translating Lun Yu, different famous writers have adopted different translation strategies. This paper takes the English versions of Lun Yu by Ku Hungming and James Legge as examples, aiming to find out the motivations for their respective translation strategies. Firstly, the application of specific translation strategies will be analyzed through specific examples. Secondly, this paper will analyze the reasons why the two translators adopted their respective translation strategies according to the context of different times. Meanwhile, this paper will discuss the role of the English versions of Lun Yu in the diffusion of Chinese culture to the West.