Figurative Language

 …What does it mean to speak figuratively?

• Figurative language heightens meaning by implicitly or explicitly representing something in terms of some other thing.– The assumption is that the “other thing” will be more

familiar to the reader.

• The difference between everyday figurative language and a poet’s figurative language is that everyday language is usually worn and trite; a poet’s language should be fresh and original.

…Why do we use figurative language?

• We can say what we want to say more vividly and forcefully by using figures of speech than we can by saying it directly.

• We can say more with a figurative statement than we

can with a literal statement because figures of speech offer another way to add extra dimensions to language.

 • Examples: simile, metaphor, personification, irony,

symbol(ism), overstatement, and understatement.

Which one is lamer?

She ran out of here very fast!vsShe ran out of here like a bat out of hell!

Figurative Language  Personification

How is this personification?

-Look at the verbs (glanced, smiled, screamed, telling)-Also, look at the intention (mockingly)

These actions / intentions are associated

with people; therefore, a metaphor has been created.

Personification denotatively means the comparison of an abstract idea, inanimate object, or animal to a human being or person

-It is always a metaphor. Example: The clock glanced at me, smiled mockingly, and screamed at me, telling me that I was late.

Figurative Language  IronyIrony exists when speech or events are

incongruous or the opposite of what is expected or intended. There are three types of irony: situational, verbal, and dramatic irony.

Situational IronyThe difference between what is expected to

happen and what actually does

Example:My mother is a professional make-up artist, but I rarely—if ever—wear make up.

Verbal IronySaying the opposite of what you mean

AKA—SARCASM!

Mrs. France saying, “Oh yeah, I love Algebra. I’m so good at it.”

Dramatic IronyWhen the audience knows more about what’s

about to happen in the play than the characters themselves

When Romeo heard that Juliet was dead, we knew she was actually alive, but he didn’t.

Figurative Language  Symbol(ism)

A symbol is a word or phrase that works literally in a piece yet also serves to represent another idea at a thematic level.

“Bill Hutchinson went over to his wife and forced the slip of paper out of her hand. It had a black spot on it…”

Figurative Language  Overstatement & Understatement

Overstatement simply said is an extreme exaggeration or hyperbole in order to stress the truth. It can be used to be humorous, grave, or convincing.

Examples in everyday speech: -“I’m starved!” or “I’ll die if I don’t pass this course!”

- “Gas prices just went up a bagillion dollars!”

- “I just took a 100 hour nap.”

They are not literal statements and they are not to be taken as such.

The overstatement adds stress or weight to a statement

Figurative Language  Overstatement & Understatement

Understatement is saying less than you mean for an equally important statement; implying more than is said.

Examples in everyday speech:• When you sit down to a loaded dinner

plate and say, “Well, this looks like a nice snack.”

You are using understatement to give the full truth or impact of the situation. It also provides humor.