Foreignization vs Domestication: Analyzing Translation Strategies in English-Kurdish Published Media Texts

Abstract

This study examines domestication and foreignization strategies in Kurdish media translation using Venuti's (1995) theoretical framework. Employing a mixed-methods design, the research analyzes 1,381 coded segments from 35 journalistic texts published by seven Kurdish media outlets (2024–2025), supplemented by questionnaire data from 22 translators and editors. Findings indicate that domestication predominates (58.07%), followed by foreignization (40.12%) and hybrid strategies (1.81%). Borrowing and calque emerge as principal foreignizing procedures, while functional equivalent and recognized translation dominate domestication. Strategy distribution varies significantly by linguistic category: technical terms favor foreignization (67.15%), whereas idiomatic expressions favor domestication (79.31%). Questionnaire data corroborate corpus patterns, with 95.45% of respondents agreeing that excessive foreignization weakens translation quality, while 50% cite lexical gaps as the primary reason for retaining foreign elements. The study contributes empirical evidence of strategy distribution in a minoritized-language media context and identifies institutional, linguistic, and technological factors shaping translator decision-making in Kurdish media contexts. The significance of this study lies in its contribution to an understudied area of Translation Studies. While Venuti's framework has been widely applied to translation between major world languages, its application to minoritized-language contexts—where source-target power dynamics differ substantially—remains less developed. By examining how Kurdish translators navigate the tension between accessibility and foreignness, the study illuminates how translation strategies function differently when the target language lacks the institutional support and terminological standardization of dominant languages. The study also responds to practical needs in Kurdish media institutions, as understanding current practices can inform editorial policies, translator training, and terminology development efforts.