The Hyakunin Isshu translated into Danish : Inherent difficulties in translation and differences from English & Swedish versions

Sammanfattning: In this thesis, translation of classic Japanese poetry into Danish will be examined in the form of analysing translations of the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. Difficulties will be surveyed, and ways of handling them will be suggested. Furthermore, differences between the Danish translations and those of English and Swedish translations will be noted. Relevant translation methods will be presented, as well as an introduction to translation, to further the understanding of the reader in the discussion. The hypothesis for this study was that when translating the Hyakunin Isshu into Danish, the translator would be forced to make certain compromises. The results supported this hypothesis. When translating from Japanese to Danish, the translator faces difficulties such as following the metre, including double meaning, cultural differences and special features of Japanese poetry. To adequately deal with these difficulties, the translator must be willing to compromise in the final translation. Which compromises the translator must make depends on the purpose of the translation.