Translating Metaphor in Yōko Tawada’s Yōgisha no yakōressha (Suspects on a Night Train)

The translation ofmetaphorical expressions across languages and cultures is challenging becauseit involves shifting between different linguistic, cultural and conceptualframes of reference. Moreover, in literature, metaphor is usually an importantelement of style giving rise to a range of cognitive effects that often varyaccording to each reader’s interpretation. This paper explores the keyconsiderations for translators when formulating strategies to rendermetaphorical expressions, drawing on ideas from conceptual metaphor theory andtranslation studies.  Arguing for anapproach that focusses on the function of metaphor and the stylistic effects, Iapply this to my own translation of Yōko Tawada’s award-winning Japanese novel,Yōgisha no yakōressha [Suspects on aNight Train]. I present examples from the translation, identifying the reasonsfor my strategies based on the foregoing theoretical discussion, my analysis ofTawada’s style and her own views about translation.