The Law of Figure of Speech
All language is either literal or figurative. Literal language is taken at face value. There are no hidden or subtle meanings. Literal language is what it is, nothing more nothing less. Figurative language should not be taken literally. We have to look beyond the literal meaning of the words to other meanings, to the connotations of the words. Figures of speech are examples of figurative language. They cannot be taken literally. If figures of speech are taken literally, then a person will have a difficult time understanding the language.
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What is a Figure of Speech?
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A figure of speech is when a word or words are used to create a desired effect. The effect is usually to help the reader visualize or experience more fully the situation being described. For instance, a person may say he is "dying of hunger." This person is not really dying, but may indeed be very hungry. The exaggeration used here heightens the state the person is describing, helping the reader understand the intense yearning for food. It's an expression used to invoke intense emotion of feeling.
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Examples of Figures of Speech: Metaphors and Similes
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The most common kinds of figures of speech are metaphors and similes. A metaphor is an implied comparison between two dissimilar objects without using the words "like" or "as." Sometimes in poetry a metaphor is extended throughout the work, and this is called an extended metaphor. A simile is the likening of two dissimilar objects using the words "like" or "as." Examples of these include: "He was a lion in the fight" (metaphor) and "He fought like a lion" (simile).
More Examples: Hyperbole and Personification
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"This book weighs a ton." Hyperbole is an example of exaggeration. It's an overstatement used to emphasize a statement. An example is, "I'd give my right arm for a glass of water right now."
Personification is when human characteristics are given to inanimate objects, ideas or animals. It is commonly used in allegory and fables. An example is "Her pen danced across the page."
More Examples: Oxymoron and Metonymy
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"There are many mouths to feed in my family." Oxymoron is when two contradictory words or phrases are used together. An example of oxymoron is, "The fire station burned down." This is not what one would expect to happen. Another example is, "He is an idiotic genius." How can one be both idiotic and a genius? Think about it.
Metonymy is similar to a metaphor, but different in function. One understands a metaphor through comparison, but the function of a metonymy is simply through reference to something else. One example is, "There are many mouths to feed in my family." Here the mouth refers to the people in the speaker's family. Another example is, "The pen is mightier than the sword." Here the pen refers to the writer and the sword refers to the fighter.
Why Use Figures of Speech?
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Figures of speech create images in the mind for the reader or listener. These images help convey the meaning faster and more vividly than mere words alone. Be careful though, for when figures of speech are overused, they can become old and tired--cliches. However, when original and fresh figures of speech are created, they bring life and vitality to one's writing, awakening the reader's imagination
References
- Photo Credit "Forum in the rain (Rome)" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: Meg Zimbeck (Meg Zimbeck) under the Creative Commons Attribution license. "Ali! Ali! Ali!" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: Dave Hogg (Dave Hogg) under the Creative Commons Attribution license. "De Zilveren Lepel" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: Fabio Bruna (Fabio Bruna) under the Creative Commons Attribution license. "Vacation III" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: Andréia (Andréia Bohner) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
