Dichotomies of Translation Studies

Word-for-Word Sense-for-Sense
Literal Free / Liberal
Non-inclusive Inclusive
Foreignization Domestication
Invariant Variant
Absolute Relative
Rank-bound Unbounded
Precise Sloppy
Ideal Real
Ethnodeviant Ethnocentric
Heterogeneity Homogeneity
Opposition Consideration
Unreadable Readable
Lowly Communicative Highly Communicative
Based on the culture of the SL Based on the culture of the TL
Exact Natural
Correspondence Equivalence
Realization Potential
Conceptual Associative
Prepositional / Locutionary Illocutionary
Denotative Connotative
Overt Covert
Direct Indirect / Oblique
Verbal Non-verbal
Metaphrase Paraphrase
Formal Equivalence Dynamic Equivalence
Verbal Concordance Contextual Consistency
Semantic Pragmatic, Idiomatic
Word as Unit of Translation Sentence or paragraph as Unit of Translation
Exact Natural
Awkward Natural
Translation Imitation
Form-based Meaning-based
Old Focus New Focus
Form over Content Content over Form
SL word order TL word order
Close Paraphrastic
Identity Equivalence
Conservation of Form Reproduction of Message
Semantic Communicative
Unintelligible Intelligible
Traditional, No Ideology Skopos
Constraints on Translation Compensation
Non-idiomatic Idiomatic
Less Fluent More Fluent
Faithful Unfaithful
Bottom-up Top-down
Atomistic Gestalt
Prospection Retrospection
Prescription Description
Linguistic Functional
Formal/Superficial Deep
Cohesion Coherence
Transcoding Transculturing
Intertextual Intratextual
Conceptualization Reconceptualization
Reduction Production
Harmonious with SL Harmonious with TL