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A Comparative Study of Haiku Translations in Korean and Chinese: Focusing on Matsuo Basho’s The Old Pond

  • The Journal of Translation Studies
  • Abbr : JTS
  • 2023, 24(3), pp.413-438
  • DOI : 10.15749/jts.2023.24.3.013
  • Publisher : The Korean Association for Translation Studies
  • Research Area : Humanities > Interpretation and Translation Studies
  • Received : August 15, 2023
  • Accepted : September 19, 2023
  • Published : September 30, 2023

Lee Hyun-joo 1

1가톨릭대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study compares Korean and Chinese translations of haiku, a traditional Japanese poetry form, in order to explore a variety of translation methods and to discuss the resulting issues and effects. The paper analyzes 13 Korean translations and 16 Chinese translations of Matsuo Basho’s renowned haiku The Old Pond (古池) across three dimensions: syllable count (5-7-5), seasonal references (kigo), and cutting words (kireji). Regarding syllable count and kireji, the Korean translations demonstrated greater fidelity to the source text compared to Chinese translations. Concerning kigo, both the Chinese and Korean translations effectively capture the symbolism of the ‘frog’ representing ‘spring.’ However, Chinese translations introduced an issue by adding an adjective, conveying the sense of ‘solitary’ or ‘lonely,’ which was absent in the source text. This addition restricts the reader’s imaginative space. In this study, we have examined how the formal characteristics of haiku poetry, specifically its structural features, are either preserved or lost during the translation process, without delving into the semantic or contextual aspects of the vocabulary used. While it is acknowledged that the study is limited in scope by focusing on a single case, its significance lies in the exploration of diverse translation methods evident in multiple Korean and Chinese translations of haiku. Furthermore, the paper discusses the challenges and effects associated with these translation methods.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.