...Assignment 2: "Figurative Language versus Literal Language" Michael J Pope Strayer University Dr. Keyes October 28, 2013 Using and misusing figurative language may make it more difficult for others to engage in productive thinking. Listed below are ten (10) types of figurative language. When a person uses figurative language to express or exchange information to someone else it may create a difficulty for others to engage in productive thinking. Figurative language can be used to communicate an idea however it is not meant to be taken literally therefore is can create confusion. For example, if you say “the whole nine yards” or you have “a chip on your shoulder” these phrases are not meant to be taken in their literal meaning. The person is trying to convey they want “the whole package or deal” or trying to ask if something is “bothering you”. This type of communication is used on a daily basis and the most common types are idioms, analogies, metaphors, hyperboles, similes, clique, euphemism and colloquialisms. However the confusion lies in the ability of the person receiving the information and their individual capability to recognize and interpret the meaning of the information that is being provided. Therefore it is important to understand what figurative language is and when it and with whom it is appropriate to use. Idioms are defined as “an expression in the usage of a language that is peculiar to itself either grammatically or in having...
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...and function of figurative language and literal language. Figurative language and literal language are different ways of analyzing the meaning of languages in various traditions. literal language refers to words that do not deviate from their defined meaning. Whereas figurative language refers to words, and groups of words, that exaggerate or alter the usual meanings of the component words. Figurative language may involve analogy to similar concepts or other contexts, and may involve exaggerations. Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else, we are using figurative language. The function of literal language is to present word or groups of words to "literally" mean exactly what they intended to be. Using literal language simplify the mean of words for everyone to understand. Figurative language function differently, it allow the use of word or groups of word to them different meaning and give one to think what the writer actually mean which will give one a true or false answer and still be correct. These lead to different figure of speeches which make languages very interesting. 2. Provide an example for each of the following terms and when it might lead to misunderstanding - idiom, analogy, metaphor, simile, cliché, amphiboly, "flame word", hyperbole, euphemism, and colloquialism. The following terms are ways of expressing meaning of language using figurative language. An idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning or associative...
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...Figurative Language versus Literal Language Figurative Language versus Literal Language Figurative language, which is also referred to as a “figure of speech”, is language that utilizes a description to provide an expression of a person’s emotion. Figurative language contains words that are descriptive whereas literal words are expressed so that someone ones exactly what is meant. Below I will describe a few figurative words followed by an example. Idiom An idiom is a word or phrase that is not taken literally, like “bought the farm” has nothing to do with purchasing real estate, but refers to dying (examples.yourdictionary.com). Another example would be “high as a kite” which would mean you are drunk or on drugs. Someone who isn’t familiar with this phrase could interpret it to mean someone or something is up in the air. Analogy Analogy is defined as either a metaphor (different) or a simile (same). It’s the similarity or comparability of two things. An example of an analogy is “She is as quiet as a church mouse” the reference to the mouse being unheard is the similarity to her being quite. Metaphor Metaphors are an analogy where two unlike things are compared but have something in common. It sounds like you are stating a fact, but you have to think about it for it to make sense. An example of a metaphor would be you are the wind beneath my wings” you are not saying that a person can actually be wind. Instead, you are referring to the support you get from that...
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...Figurative Language versus Literal Language Professor Veronica S Critical Thinking – PHI 210 January 22, 2013 Figurative Language versus Literal Language Figurative language is writing or speaking where ‘figures of speech’ such as metaphors and similes freely occur (Oxford Reference, 2003) where as literal language is opposed to figurative it suggests the influence of the letter as a measure of strictness and rightness: the literal truth is seen as being true in a basic and absolute way. If something is done literally, a person follows instructions ‘to the letter’, without flexibility or imagination (Oxford Reference, 2003). In this paper several figurative language expressions will be defined and discussed by providing examples for each term, appropriate circumstances for using the expressions and when it might lead to misunderstanding. An idiom is an expression established in the usage of a language that is peculiar to itself either in grammatical construction (as no, it wasn’t me) or in having a meaning that cannot be derived as a whole from the conjoined meanings of its elements (as Monday week for “the Monday a week after next Monday”; many a for “many taken distributively”; had better for “might better”; how are you? for “what is the state of your health or feelings?”) (Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, 2002) Also an idiom doesn’t mean what its individual words mean. In Italian, “In the mouth of the wolf” is an idiom, it means “Good luck”, and “kick the bucket”...
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...“Never judge a book by its cover.” This was written by Edwin Rolfe in 1946. This quote is still used to this day and is one of the most insightful sayings to exist. By saying this, you are saying that you can see what's on the outside. But you won't get the full experience until you see what's on the inside. This quote has a deeper meaning than what it conveys. All of these stories have a deeper meaning in them and they express them in many different ways. You can fully understand the meanings by comparing the figurative language, poetic devices, and the subject in the stories. First, in the story “Watermelon,” by Charles Simic, there is plenty of figurative language. The story starts by implying that the “Green Buddhas,” are the watermelons....
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...“The Giver” Literary Analysis In life, people find that memories are a benefit, yet it somehow contains cons. Like societies in the novel The Giver, a fiction novel wrote by Lois Lowry, it explained that memories can provide wisdom and experience for situations. This theme is expressed in many ways such as figurative language and diction. Memories are needed in society so that people can learn from their experience. Recalling to the texts, Lowry uses her figurative language to give context clues of the theme. Doing that, she uses simile and imagery to hide the theme. For instance, using simile, a group of visitors from another community broke a few rules who upsetted the fair-playing Lily. “She shook her head. ‘I don’t know. They acted like…...
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...Figurative Language versus Literal Language Sharon D. Dove October 29, 2012 We use language to communicate with each other regardless of where we live in this world. We can either speak or write literally or figuratively. In literal language we say or write exactly what we mean while in figurative language our meaning is less obvious. In the following pages we will look at some of the figurative language adopted by the English language. For each term I will give the definition, followed by an example. I will then describe an appropriate circumstance for using the example and when it might lead to misunderstanding. Idiom: The language peculiar to a people or to a district, community, or class. Don’t give up your day job. This idiom is commonly used to describe someone who believes they are very good at something and could make a living doing just that when in fact in the eyes of others they are really actually no good. Analogy: The inference that if two or more things agree with one another in some respects. They will probably agree in others. During election times we can hear candidates saying things like, Bill Clinton, Rhode Scholar is to genius as Mitt Romney is to ignorance. Metaphor: A figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between two unlike things that actually have something important in common. The weather was so heavy on Saturday, it was raining cats and dogs, is an example of a metaphor. We use this metaphor to explain...
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...The English language is known as being one of the most difficult languages to learn. There are many reasons for this, a major factor being the use of figurative language. Since the English language is packed with figures of speech is can be very confusing to truly comprehend what someone is trying to get across. This doesn’t just go for the new comers to the English language but also to native English speakers. Throughout this paper I will define and give examples for ten different types of figurative language while providing appropriate usage. These types of figurative language include idiom, analogy, metaphor, simile, cliché, amphiboly, fame word, hyperbole, euphemism, and lastly colloquialism. Idiom Idioms are words or phrases that mean something different from what they are literally saying. For example “to burn the candle at both ends” means to exhaust yourself by doing too much ("Language Arts," 2010). At first it might not make much since. After thinking about it you may realize if you lit a candle at both ends it would actually burn out two times faster than just being lit on one side. An appropriate circumstance for using this example would be if you had a friend that worked two jobs and went to school full-time. You could say “wow you really are burning the candle at both ends”. Again you are stating how your friend is over working themselves and how they could burn out just like the candle. Analogy An analogy compares certain similarities between things which...
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...In this speech, some of Jeff’s strengths were humor and the use of figurative language. Not many speeches utilized humor at the extent that he did, so this made his speech stand out. It was able to engage us not only in the beginning of the speech as required, but throughout the entire speech making it much more listenable to the audience. The use of figurative language was also something that I noticed. For example, he used a hyperbole when he mentioned that the size of the earth and moon were clearly the same size as his visual aid. The word choice through the addition of figurative language is something that makes a huge difference in a speech. The weaknesses that I noticed were the of clarity of his main points and the thesis. It was hard...
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...While the speaker clearly states his professional relationship with his former student, he did still love her and has a sense of respect and awe towards her. His descriptions, through various uses of figurative language and syntax, emphasize his attitude of sorrow about her student and love for her because of his feelings of pride and happiness. He did not love her as a lover or father because he was neither; however, it is obvious the speaker enjoyed having his student, Jane. It is also apparent that the student’s tendencies were full of emotion which added to the speaker’s love for her because he enjoyed her attendance company while in class. With his student now passed, the speaker had to give his elegy for her and enjoyed her presence when...
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...Figurative Language versus Literal Language The English language encompasses a myriad of different techniques to convey ideas and feelings. There are two ways that we use language: we use language literally, and we use language figuratively. When we use language literally, we actually “say” what we want the sender to hear. What actually comes from the speaker’s mouth can be comprehended and no add-ons are needed. Sometimes being literal is not enough to convey meanings or thoughts. At these times, we use figurative language, or figures of speech. Often, people will use figurative language to enliven ordinary conservations; thus, turning a dull conversation into an interesting conversation. There are several types of figures of speech that we sometimes employ in conversation: idioms, analogies, metaphors, similes, clichés, amphibolies, “flame words”, hyperboles, euphemisms, and colloquialisms. Below I will define each term of speech and how they are sometimes used in communication. According to The American Heritage Dictionary (1991), an idiom is “a speech or expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or that cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements”. A common idiom that we may recognize is that “friends come a dime a dozen”. This does not mean that twelve (12) friends can be purchased for a dime; but what it does suggest, is that friends can be made anywhere. Depending on the context of the...
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...FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE VS. LITERAL LANGUAGE Randy Powell Doctor Dan Davis Strayer University Internet Campus Philosophy 210: Critical Thinking Strayer University February 3, 2013 It is often believed that the English language is one of the most difficult languages to learn. The phonetic system employed by the English language leaves open a vast majority of issues for any individual attempting to master the language. For instance, the English language is the only language which uses multiple spellings for similar-sounding words. Take for example “threw” and “through;” “led” and “lead;” or “accept” and “except.” “The fact is, although it’s possible to make rough guesses at English spellings using phonetics, in order to really know English spelling, you have to memorize the spelling of every word” (Alexander, 2009). Additionally, the English language features words which are spelled the same, but possess different definitions and uses. For example, “wound” and “wound.” Unless these words are seen in the form of a sentence or heard the terms in which they are referenced, recognizing the difference is impossible; sometimes even for one brought up speaking the English language. Not only do individual words offer different meanings, the method, or “tone” in which one speaks also offer a level of confusion. While there are different methods in which to ‘stress’ key words within a sentence or ‘emphasize’ the importance of what is being said, two common types of language, which...
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...Figurative Language versus Literal Language Joe Doe Professor PHI 210 Figurative language can sometimes be misused or misconstrued, which makes it difficult for thinking to be productive. With that being said, understanding the meaning and function of a term can be vital when communication occurs. Providing an example for each term will make it easier to understand how the term can be used in a sentence. Discussing circumstances for using the specific term and when it could lead to a misunderstanding will show how the term can be used in the day-to-day world and will also show how the term can be misused. The terms that will be discussed are: idiom, analogy, metaphor, simile, cliché, amphiboly, “flame word”, hyperbole, euphemism and colloquialism. An idiom is two or more words that give a different meaning than that of the literal meaning. According to Webster’s New World (2011), idioms are used often to replace a literal word or expression, and many times the idiom better describes the full nuance of meaning. The major function of an idiom is to translate the literal meaning of the words to a different meaning. Many times, the popular use of the term is what makes it easy to understand. An example of an idiom would be “break a leg,” which in translation means to wish someone good luck. An appropriate circumstance for using “break a leg” would be before a performer is going on stage. A misunderstanding could occur if someone were to take the term literal...
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...1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study Figurative language has been widely examined by linguist in the study of literature in recent years. It is because figurative language has the essence of style and beauty. Figurative language often provides a more effective means of saying what we mean than direct statement. In the specific sense, figurative language may take the form of figures of speech. Figurative language is used in any form of communication, such as in daily conversation, articles in newspaper, advertisements, novels, poems, etc. The effectiveness of figurative language in four main reasons, Perrine (1982) First, figurative language affords readers imaginative pleasure of literary works. Second, it is a way of bringing additional imagery into verse, making the abstract concrete, making literary works more sensuous. The third, figurative is a way of adding emotional intensity to otherwise merely informative statements and conveying attitudes along with information. And the last, it is a way of saying much in brief compass. She divides figurative language into seven types, namely metaphor, simile, personification, metonymy, paradox, overstatement, understatement, irony and illusion. 2 Keraf (1998: 129) divided majas (figures of speech) into two classifications, namely majas retoris (rhetoric) and majas kiasan (analogy). The first classification covers illiteracy, assonances, anastrophe, apophasis, apostrophe, asyndeton, polycyndenton, chiasmus, ellipsis...
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...The Analysis of the Problems in Understanding Figurative Language in Poetry as Perceived by Third Year Students of Child Jesus of Prague School for the School Year 2010-2011 Chapter 1 The Problem and its Background Introduction Language is a vital part of our everyday life and communication that are spoken by the human today and its natural human necessity. The word “language” has two meanings, language as general concept and language as a linguistic system. It is also traditionally signs, ideas and meanings of our heart and minds. But then, language cannot be fully expressed without even using figurative language Whenever someone used figurative language, he describes something by comparing it to another. In order to be successful in literary studies at any level, and for that matter, to be considered a good writer himself, at least a basic understanding of figurative language is absolutely essential. This series will explore the basic types of figurative language that you are likely to encounter in high school and early university settings; without knowledge of these, getting good grades is not a likely outcome, and succeeding in upper level literature courses will simply not happen. Although many teachers and professors do underline the importance of various kinds of figurative language, not many take the time to define it and explain its importance as a whole. Figurative language can most efficiently and simply be seen as a way of writing and speaking...
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