8/10/2019 LITERAL LANGUAGE VS FIGURATIVE.doc

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Literal vs. Figurative language

LITERAL LANGUAGE:A concrete representation of a sense impression, feeling or idea which appeals to

one or more of our senses. Standard meaning of the word, how its defined in the

dictionary.(= IMAGERY)

TACTIL(sense of touch)

AURAL (sense of learning)

OLFATORY(sense of smell)

VISUAL(sense of sight)

GUSTATORY(sense of taste)

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: Words are used in a different way to achieve a dramatic or amusing effect.

SIMILE:(i!e. "ne thing is li!e another)

formal comparison (as, as if, like, seems, appeas!

#$us%ands should love their wives as their own %odies&

#$er hair is li!e sil!&

#$is heart is li!e ice&

#'ar salesmen are li!e shar!s&

#(uliet is li!e the sun&

#As smooth as sil!&

#As fast as the wind&

#As %rave as a lion&

#As cunning as a fo)&

META"#OR:(A carrying over)

*mplied comparison. "ne thing is sth. that in fact it is not. +hey state that sth. is sth. else to suggest a

resem%lance.

#en-amin is a ravenous wolf&

#$er hair is sil!&

#$is heart is ice&

#'ar salesmen are shar!s&

#(uliet is the sun&

#y love is a red, red rose&

#/ou are the salt of the earth&

#/ou are the light of the world&

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Literal vs. Figurative language

IRONY:(A dissem%ling (hypocrite, misleading) spea!er)

+he spea!er or writer says the very opposite of what he intends to convey. discrepancy %etween what

is said and what is meant.

+hree !inds of irony:

0. ver%al irony is when an author says one thing and means something else.

1. dramatic irony is when an audience perceives something that a character in the literature does not

!now.

2. irony of situation is a discrepancy %etween the epected result and actual results.

3A fine thing indeed43 he muttered to himself.

METONYMY: (A change of name)

"ne word is in place of another to portray some actual relationship %etween the things signified.

Spea!ing to the 5harisees concerning $erod, 'hrist says: # 6o and tell that fo)&

3the throne3to refer to the monarchy)

#owing to the sceptered isle&.(6reat ritain) (scepter = cetro)

#Y"ER$OLE: (A throwing %eyond)

*ntentional eaggeration for the purpose of emphasis. agnifying %eyond reality. *t is often confused

with a simile.

#* nearly died laughing&

#* tried a thousand times&

I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.

He's as big as a house.

"ERSONIFICATION: (+o ma!e li!e a person)

6iving something a human 7uality

#+he sea loo!ed8&

# +he sun smiled down on me&

# +he leaves dances in the wind&

A"OSTRO"#E: (+o turn from)

As if the spea!er were tal!ing to himself in a sort of eternali9ed solilo7uy

#Ah, sword of the ord4 $ow long till you are 7uiet:&

#"h, my son A%salom4&

SYNEC%OC#E (+o receive from and associate with)

Where the whole is put for part, or a part for the whole, an individual for a class or vice;versa

#And we were in all 1