In translating culture-loaded expressions, the most frequently employed strategy in China has been domestication so far. This is due to the fact that domesticated translations are more acceptable to our readers, publishers, and translation critics. However, as cultural contact intensifies and cultural awareness grows, the strategy of foreignization is and will be more often ud than ever before and may get the whip hand in the future. The strategies of foreignization and domestication are complementary rather than contradictory. The two will coexist forever instead of one being replaced by the other. This is becau foreignization and domestication rve different purpos and readers, play different roles, and are ud in the rendering of different texts. Translators usually employ foreignization when (1) the main purpo of translating is to convey the source language and culture, which may enrich the target language and culture, (2) translators mainly rve tho readers who have some experience of the foreign language and culture, and who take interest in learning more about another culture, and (3) the source texts are heavily culture-loaded, such as philosophical works, political essays, imaginative literature, histories, etc. Translators often turn to domestication when (1) introduction of the original cultural flavor is not the major aim of the translation, (2) readers of the translations have little or no knowledge/experience of the source language and culture and may find the culture-loaded expression strange and difficult to understand, and they read the translations mainly for fun rather than for knowledge of a new culture, and (3) the source materials are such writings as scientific documents and operational manuals, which carry little cultural value. A ca in point is the translation of 《红楼梦》 by David Hawkes & John Minford (The Story of the Stone, also known as The Dream of the Red Chamber) and by Yang Xianyi & Gladys Yang (A Dream of Red Mansions). It is generally believed that the former mainly takes the domestication strategy in the treatment of culture-loaded expressions and his version benefits best general readers and tho who read the translated works mainly for entertainment and fun, while the latter often us foreignization in the hope of introducing Chine culture to Westerners, and their works do more good to tho Western readers who are studying Chine and are interested in learning more about Chine culture. Compare: 1. 盛宴必散。（《红楼梦》第13回） Yang's version: Even the grandest feast must have an end. Hawkes' version: Even the best party must have an end. 2. 周瑞家的听了笑道：“阿弥陀佛，真坑死人的事儿！等十年未必都这样巧的呢”。（《红楼梦》第7回） Yang's version: “Gracious Buddha!” Mrs Chou chuckled. "How terribly chancy! You might wait for ten years without such a run of luck." Hawkes' version: "God bless my soul!" Zhou Rui's wife exclaimed. "You would certainly need some patience! Why, you might wait ten years before getting all tho things at the proper times!" 3. 那薛老大也是“吃着碗里看着锅里”的……（《红楼梦》第16回） Yang's version: Hh Pan is another of tho greedy-guts who keep "one eye on the bowl and the other on the pan". Hawkes' version: You know what cousin Xue is like: always "one eye on the dish and the other on the saucepan". 4. 寻春问腊到蓬莱。（《红楼梦》第50回） Yang's version: He goes to the Fairy Isles in arch of spring, asking a boon. Hawkes' version: In quest of spring I sped to Elysium. There is no translation which is purely foreignized or domesticated. We prefer to regard foreignization and domestication as two points on a continuum, the two extremes being too literal translation and modification-plus-translation: 硬译—异化—妥协译法—归化—改译（改写） An ideal strategy may be a compromi between foreignization and domestication, though this is difficult to achieve. Additions of notes and explanations are two such attempts. C. Semantic Translation Semantic translation means reproducing the preci contextual meaning of the English culture-loaded expression within the syntactic and mantic constraints of the Chine language. Wemay employ the method of concretization" (具体法) or "abstraction" (抽象法) to paraphra the expression. Semantic translation is employed often after the failure of "foreignizing translation" or "domesticating translation". In many cas we find it difficult to translate them unless we refer to contexts or consult dictionaries. Examples: 1. apple of discord (来自希腊神话) 不和的种子；争吵的根源 2. escape by (with) the skin of one's teeth (来自《圣经》) 死里逃生；幸免于难 3. hole-and-corner (来自《圣经》) 偷偷摸摸；鬼鬼祟祟 4. as poor as Job (来自《圣经》) 一贫如洗（穷得象约伯一样） 5. By George! 天啊！好家伙！糟糕！(ud as an exclamation of surpri or approval.) e.g. It couldn't be, by George, that she was deceiving him. (Th. Dreir: Sister Carrie) 6. Mickey Mou (= small and unimportant; not to be taken riously, LDCE 1998: 952) e.g. ·A "Mickey Mou cour" meansa snap cour. (American Speech) · He calls himlf the managing director but his company is just a Mickey Mou operation that he runs from his own home. (LDCE 1998: 952) 7. in for a penny, in for a pound (= if something has been started it should be finished, whatever the cost may be, LDCE 1998: 1108) e.g. Now gentlemen, I am not a man who does things by halves, being condary schoolin for a penny, I am ready, as the saying is, in for a pound. (The Curiosity Shop) 8. bite off more than one can chew (= attempt more than one can deal with or succeed in finishing, LDCE 1998: 130) e.g. I told him he would be biting off more than he could chew if he tried to rebuild the hou himlf, (ibid) 9. be in good companyconfident是什么意思 (= be able to take comfort from the fact that many other [skilled or clever] people are the same as yourlf, esp. in not being able to do something, Longman Dictionary of English Idioms, 1979) e.g. —"Why are we going to France? I can't speak a word of French." —"Don't worry, you're in good company— neither can I!" (LDCE 1998: 294) 10. a square peg in a round hole (= someone who is not suited to the job they hold, the group they belong to, LDCE 1998: 1489) e.g. Horace hated his work in the office as he had always worked out of doors; he was a square peg in a round hole. | 
