FIGURATIVE LANGUAGES.docx
- 1. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGES -is a rhetorical device that achieves a special effect by using words in distinctive ways. 1. Smile -a stated comparison between two fundamentally dissimilar things that have certain qualities in common. It uses the words “like” and “as” They are as slippery as an eel She is as blind as a bat. Ana is as wise as an awl. Jovy is like a pea in a pod. 2. Metaphor -direct comparison of two unlike things or ideas. It doesn’t use the words “like” and “as” Time is money. The world is a stage. She is a night awl. My life is a dream. 3. Personification -giving human qualities to non-living things or ideas. The flowers nodded. The snowflakes danced. The thunder grumbled. The phone awakened me with a mighty sing. The wind sang through the meadow. The ocean danced in the moon light. 4. Hyperbole -exaggerated statements. I’ve told you a million times. When she smiles, her cheeks fell off. He ate the whole carabao. He has got tons of money. This car goes faster than the speed of light. I have a million things to do. 5. Irony -middle ground between what is said and what is meant. I saw a fish drowning. “And great! Now you have broken my new camera. His argument was as clear as mud. The butter is as soft as a marble piece. Yohan is so intelligent that he failed all his test. 6. Alliteration -repetition of a particular consonant in the first syllables in a series of words. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Carries cat clawed her couch, creating chaos. She shouted and showed the sheep to the shelter. Boil the butter and bring it by the bank. Mike’s microphone made much music. See sally sell seashells by the seashore. 7. Assonance -repetition of vowel sounds. I lie dawn by the side of my bride. Fleet feet sweep by sleeping geese. Hear the mellow wedding bells. Uncertain rustling of each purple curtain.
- 2. 8. Anaphora- The repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or verses. In every cry of every man, In every infants cry of fear, In every voice, In every ban. We shall not flay or fail. We shall go onto the end. With malice toward none; With charity for all; With formers in the night. 9. Onomatopoeia - the use of words that imitate the sounds associated w/ the objects or actions they refer to. My son swooshed the basketball into the net. The awl hooted as it sat in the tree. Drip, drip, drip, went the faucet all day long. Zip goes the jacket. Meow, where’s my milk, cried the cat. 10. Apostrophe -addressing inanimate objects. Then come, sweet death,and rid me of this grief. Twinkle, twinkle little star… Blue moon, you saw me standing alone Without a dream in my heart. Without a love of my own. Oh clouds! Grant my wishes. Hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again. 11. Oxymoron -two contradictory or inappropriate terms are either put together or appear side by side. Clearly confused Confirmed rumor Exact opposite Genuine imitation Living dead The building was pretty ugly and a little big for its surroundings. This is another fine mess you have got us into. The comedian was seriously funny. We laughed and cried through the tragic comedy. 12. Antithesis -juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, words and concepts in a balanced manner in one sentence. Many are called but few are chosen. Give every man thy ear,but few thy voice. Man proposes,god disposes. Speech is silver, but silence is gold. 13. Paradox - statement which appears to contrast itself. You can save money by spending it.
- 3. All animals are equal but same one more equal than the others. War is peace. Freedom is slavery. 14. Litotes -Understatement by using double negatives positive statement is expressed by negating its opposite expressions. New York is not an ordinary city. Your comments on politics are not useless. You are not doing badly at all. Your apartment is not unclean. The ice cream was not too bad. 15. Metonymy -word is used in place of another, The white house is concerned about terrorism. Pen is mightier than the sword. Let me give you a hand. The people of work oval office was busy in work. He writes a five hand. (this means that the person writes neatly or has a good hand writing. He is known as a man of cloth. She works with a newspaper. 16. Synecdoche - is used to represent the whole or the whole for a part Give us our daily bread. His parents bought him a new set of wheels. He has many mouths to feed. He won her hand. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of wicked. 17. Chiasmus -A verbalpattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but with the parts reversed or modified. One should eat to live, not live to eat. You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget. It’s not the years in your life, but your life in your years. I feelwho chases me,and chase who feel me. 18. Understatement -the gravity of statement is undervalued. I have to have this operation. It isn’t very serious, I have this tiny little tumour on the brain. It’s little warm here. 19. Euphemism -is used to express a mild indirect, as vague term to substitute a harsh, blunt on offensive term. Going to other side-death. Adult entertainment- pornography. Comfort woman- prostitute. Between jobs-unemployed. Freedom fighters- rebels. 20. Pun - A pun is a play on words which a humorous effect is produced by using a word that suggest two or more meanings. A happy life depends on a liver.
- 4. The life of a patient of hypertension is always at steak. Why is it so wet in England? Because many kings and queens have reigned there.