The concept of equivalence can be said to hold a central position in translation studies. In this particular thesis, different aspects of the equivalence concept are discussed on the basis of five German source texts and their respective Swedish translations. The source texts are situated within the field of beekeeping and were first published in Deutsches Bienenjournal and translated for the Swedish magazine Bitidningen. The equivalence theory presented by the translation theorist Werner Koller (2011) forms the basis of the analysis. Koller distinguishes five different types of equivalence: denotative, connotative, text-normative, pragmatic and formal-aesthetic equivalence. Koller’s equivalence concept is presented and discussed with a selection of illustrative examples displaying translation problems which arose during the translation of the source texts. In the thesis, special attention is paid to when and how the different equivalence aspects were considered. Specifically, it is made evident that sometimes very different translation solutions can be justified depending on which equivalence aspect the translator finds the most important in the current case. In addition, it is argued that the translator has to establish a hierarchy of the most important values of equivalence in each different translation case and for each different target text in order to make the most suitable translation decision. It is also stated that Koller’s theory is very useful for the translator when making decisions in difficult cases and, furthermore, that all of Koller’s five types of equivalence were relevant for the translation decision-making process.

This theoretical and biographical thesis deals with the work of Otto Kade, a major German Translation Studies scholar. It is based on an analysis of his monographs and articles and presents his most important ideas and contributions to the development of Translation Studies. The thesis describes the circumstances under which Kade's theory was created, and depicts his efforts to defend the existence of Translation Studies as an independent field of science - his endeavour to establish the subject of this discipline, make Translation Science more scientific, develop a consistent and innovative terminology and methodology, assess the social status of translators and interpreters, and systematise their education and didactics. Last but not least, the thesis demonstrates how wide in scope his reflections were, and also outlines the reception of Kade's concepts. Key words Otto Kade, Leipzig School, translation theory, equivalence types, machine translation