Figurative Language

Metaphors

Metaphors are used to emphasize the qualities of something by comparing it to something else, and thus the meaning becomes clearer and more effective.

A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a comparison is made between two unlike things.

Similes

A simile is a figure of speech in which a comparison is made between two things, with the use of a connective word such as ‘like’ or ‘as’.

Writers, poets, and songwriters use similes to add depth and emphasize what they are trying to convey to the reader or listener; it makes their writing more descriptive and effective. Similes can be funny, serious, mean, or creative.

Euphemism

A euphemism is a polite expression used in place of words or phrases that otherwise might be considered harsh or unpleasant to hear.

Euphemisms are used regularly, and there are many examples in everyday language. The purpose of euphemisms is to replace unpleasant and severe words with more genteel ones in order to disguise the harshness, and soften the meaning when talking about unpleasant issues such as death, unemployment, crime or other ‘embarrassing’ matters.

Personification

Personification is a figure of speech in which a thing, idea or animal is given human characteristics. Whatever is being personified is portrayed in such a way that we feel they have the ability to act like human beings.

Personification can make descriptions of non-human
things more
vivid, or can
help readers understand, sympathize with, or react emotionally to non-human characters.

Oxymoron

An oxymoron
is a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction. The incongruity may be accidental or deliberate (as in the case of humor).

Writers often use oxymorons to draw attention to a particular contradiction, or to create an ironic sense of humor. They can also use oxymorons to emphasize certain qualities or ideas, or even to confuse the reader.

Puns

A pun is a play on words; a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words which sound alike but have different meanings.

Puns can be very humorous and therefore writers, comedians, actors etc. use them in jokes and witty remarks. However, they are also used regularly in everyday speech, sometimes intentionally and sometimes accidently (often the most humorous are the unintentional puns!)

Hyperbole

Hyperbole is extreme exaggeration used to make a point. This literary device is used by writers and poets, but is also common in everyday speech, as it is used to stress a point and emphasize an idea.

The purpose of hyperbole is to create a larger-than-life effect and overly stress a specific point. Such sentences usually convey and action or sentiment that is generally not realistically possible or plausible, but helps emphasize an emotion.

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is the use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the object,

Writers often use onomatopoeia in their writing to make it more descriptive, as it
allows the reader to almost hear what they are describing. It creates a sound effect that mimics the thing described, making the description more expressive and interesting and it helps the reader to create better images in their mind while reading.

Assonance

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.

Alliteration

Alliteration is the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

Many authors and poets use sound devices to enhance the
meaning of their words or to set a mood. When assonance is used, it draws attention to words and is often employed poetically. Similarly, alliteration is commonly used in prose writing, for instance in newspaper headlines that are intended to be memorable.

Synecdoche

Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole, or the whole is used to represent a part.

The function of synecdoche is to emphasize specific aspects of the thing or person that the synecdoche represents, and to reduce the importance of the thing itself. When used in writing, a synecdoche will add to the visual imagery of the passage.

Examples

• Those are really nice wheels you have there.
• USA has won gold at the Winter Games.

Anaphora

Anaphora
is the deliberate repetition of a word or phase at the beginning of successive clauses.

Through the use of repetition, anaphora helps to emphasize a point and give prominence to an idea. It is used in a variety of types of writing and even in everyday speech.

Allusion

An allusion is
a figure of speech that makes a brief indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance.

The use of allusions enables writers or poets to
simplify concepts or ideas without having to give lengthy descriptions. Often, writers allude to biblical stories, Greek mythology or works of literature or art, which will be known to the reader.

Paradox

A paradox is a seemingly
contradictory
statement,
which actually makes sense or contains truth.

Examples

• Deep down you are really shallow.
• Less is more.
• This is the beginning of the end.

Allusion

An allusion is a figure of speech that makes a brief indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance.

The use of allusions enables writers or poets to
simplify concepts or ideas without having to give lengthy descriptions. Often, writers allude to biblical stories, Greek mythology or works of literature or art, which will be known to the reader.

Irony

Situational Irony

• When there is a contrast between the result of a situation, and what was intended or usually expected

Verbal Irony

• When what is said is actually the opposite of what is really meant

Dramatic Irony

• When the audience or reader knows more than the characters in a work of literature