foreignize
A translator must decide whether to foreignize or domesticate a cultural term.
Definition
- Verb:
- To make something appear foreign or unfamiliar: "Foreignize" means to alter or present something so that it seems strange, alien, or characteristic of a foreign culture, often in contrast to its native context.
- To introduce foreign elements: In cultural or linguistic contexts, to "foreignize" is to incorporate features from another culture or language, making the original less familiar or more exotic.
Usage Examples
- (The translator made the text seem foreign by not adapting it to the target culture.)
- (The chef introduced foreign elements to change the dish's character.)
- (Modern art makes familiar scenes seem strange.)
Advanced Usage
- "to foreignize a narrative": to deliberately use foreign words, syntax, or cultural references in a story to emphasize cultural distance.
- In his novel, the author foreignized the dialogue by including untranslated phrases from the characters' native language. (He made the dialogue seem foreign to highlight the characters' origins.)
Variants and Related Words
Foreignization (n): the process or result of making something foreign.
- The foreignization of the film through subtitles and cultural references made it less accessible to local audiences. (The process of adding foreign elements.)
Foreignized (adj): having been made to appear foreign.
- The foreignized version of the play used traditional costumes from another country. (The version that was altered to look foreign.)
Synonyms
- Alienate: to make something seem strange or hostile.
- Exoticize: to portray something as exotic or from a distant culture.
- Defamiliarize: to make something familiar seem strange or unfamiliar (often in art or literature).
Related Idioms
- To put a foreign spin on something: to add a foreign twist or perspective to something familiar.
- He put a foreign spin on the local recipe by using imported ingredients. (He made the recipe seem foreign by adding non-local elements.)