What Are the Problems Translating a Japanese Haiku Into English?
- The purpose of haiku is to express a brief yet detailed observation about naturecherry tree in blossom image by PHOTOFLY from Fotolia.com
A haiku is a specific style of Japanese poem. Haiku are short, detailed observations about nature and the seasons. A true haiku will consist of three lines, with five syllables in the first and last lines, and seven syllables in the middle. Though haiku is popular in many countries, some problems exist in translating haiku from the Japanese language into English. - Because haiku require a certain amount of syllables per line, it can be difficult or sometimes impossible to remain faithful to the syllabic structure as well as the meaning of the poem. Words in Japanese may have a different amount of syllables than the English translation. Simply translating the haiku word for word will alter the syllabic structure, which is a central element to the haiku. Because of this obstacle, many English language poets who work with haiku don't strictly follow the 17-syllable structure.
- In any language, a poem should produce an impression on the audience when spoken as well as written. The ability to beautifully recite poetry has been seen as a cultural asset by many cultures throughout antiquity. The sound of a poem when recited is altered when translated. Japanese is classified as a mora-timed language, meaning every syllable in a word is given the same stress when pronounced. English is a stress-timed language, which means that one or two syllables in a word carry greater stress than the others. (For example, compare the American pronunciation of LAB-or-a-to-ry to the British la-BOR-a-to-ry.) Changing a haiku from being pronounced in a mora-timed language to a stress-timed alters the rhythm of the poem when spoken.
- The subject matter of a haiku is always centered around nature. A haiku can consist of a detailed description of a single flower, or a specific emotion regarding the changing of the seasons. Japanese culture and poetry rely heavily on symbolism. The meaning of the haiku will not have the same impact to a person unfamiliar with the symbolism and meanings of certain aspects of nature as they are understood in Japan.
- Translating haiku into English can offer certain benefits. Because not everyone interested in haiku will learn Japanese, reading haiku in translation can offer insight into the way Japanese poets and artists work with their own languages. Though it may not offer the full, authentic experience of understanding haiku, learning about the concepts behind haiku and reading haiku in translation can prove to be an effective tool for learning about Japanese culture.
