A figure of speech is a word or phrase that has a meaning something different than its literal meaning. If figurative speech is like a dance routine, figures of speech are like the various moves that make up the routine. Imagery needs the aid of figures of speech like simile, metaphor, personification, and onomatopoeia, in order to appeal to the bodily senses. Some examples of common figures of speech include the simile, metaphor, pun, personification, hyperbole, understatement, paradox and oxymoron. Bullingers volume, first published in 1898, clarifies 217 distinct figures of speech used in the bible. Figure of speech examples and definition of figure of speech. Heres wishing you best of luck as you strive to master figures of speech. Figure of speech by rani mam basic english grammar in. Using original figures of speech in our writing is a way to convey meanings in fresh, unexpected ways. We are confronted, inescapably, with the intoxicatingpossibility thatwecan make language do for us almost anything we want. Examples of figures of speech in literature example 1 all the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players.
The old man took the handful of dust, and sifted it. The definitions and examples should help you acquaint yourself to the figures of speech. Around ad 95, quintilian defined the figure of speech as a departure from the simple and straightforward method of expression. Word play pun a clever play on words involving the multiple meanings of an expression, or two expressions that sound similar. There are figures of speech that leave out the meaning or important words. In a metaphor, there is an additional meaning to a word. A figure of speech is a literary device in which language is used in an unusualor figured way in order to produce a stylistic effect. A metaphor is a figure of speech that uses symbolism. There are 16 figures of speech that are used in poems, comprehensions or any passage of text to create a desired impact. Personificationpersonification is a figure of speech in which animals, ideas, abstractions or inanimate objects are endowed with human qualities. Tnpsc general english figure of speech simple and detailed. This book is an excellent summary of the major figures of speech, providing for each figure multiple examples from a wide range of the best literature, especially the bible and shakespeare.
Lets see more about the figures of speech examples. Alliteration refers to the repetition of a consonant sound, at least three times in a sentence. Let us take for example the phrasefast like lightning. The book is organized by chapters covering a variety of related figures, and the author uses clear and sometimes humorous language to define the terms and to introduce numerous examples from literature. It stirs up emotions among the readers, these emotions could be about happiness, romance, inspiration, laughter or sadness. The a to z of figures of speech with explanations and examples. A figure of speech is a way of adding dramatic flair to prose or poetry. A figure of speech is a deviation from the ordinary use of words in order to increase their effectiveness. A figure of speech relies on such figurative language and rhetoric. Figures of speech figures of speech use words to create particular visual images and sound effects. Figures of speech are one of the literary devices that helps in enhancing a language. The most common figures of speech are metaphors, similes, idioms, and euphemisms. This excerpt is an example of a metaphor because it confines the words of god and answers of life into the. Figurative language refers to language that contains figures of speech, while figures of speech are the particular techniques.
Bible translators have, through inattention to figures of speech, made serious translation blunders, clouding the real meaning of many important passages of gods word. Figure of speech definition and examples litcharts. In order to find the literal meaning of a figure of speech you need to unpack the figurative nonliteral meaning of the language being used. Some examples of figures of speech include metaphor, simile, hyperbole, and alliteration. It can be the repetition of alliteration or the exaggeration of hyperbole to provide a dramatic effect. But the patterns of language are so universally common to mankind that most of the figures of speech cross over from language to language in a recognizable way. Examplesexplanations of figurative language book club. They can help our readers understand and stay interested in what we have to say. Well, among the many poems in the book, let me take an example my mother at sixtysix. Figurative language definition and examples litcharts.
It exaggerates to lay emphasis on a certain quality or feature. Whereas expository prose uses the sentence or paragraph as its basic unit, and narrative the episode or scene, the basic unit of poetry is the individual image or figure of speech. The study of figures of speech is complex because of the number of languages hebrew, greek, aramaic and english involved, and because each language has many figures. Unfortunately, i couldnt find an answer list for each of the 27 figures of speech examples represented in the cartoon. Some common figures of speech are alliteration, anaphora, antimetabole, antithesis, apostrophe, assonance, hyperbole. When the consonant or vowel sound is repeated more than once in words in the same sentence, it is known as alliteration. He listed four types of rhetorical deviation mutatio. The figure of speech is usually used by poem writer to give the lines more expressive. When using figures of speech the words will diverge from their literal meanings, to give a more stylized and specialized meaning to these words. Figures of speech can be broken into two main groups. In rhetoric, a figure of speech is a type of figurative language such as metaphor, irony, understatement, or anaphora that departs from conventional word order or meaning.
A figure of speech is an expression with words that are not used in their literal sense. This example of figurative language compares moishes awkward traits to that of a clown. Examples of figure of speech used in the bible truth or. This excerpt is a simile because it directly connects moishes title to one that has no surname. Due to its direct comparative nature using as, it is classified as a simile. It may also be done as a deliberate ploy to make a point or have a particular effect, directing attention differently. Enallage may well be accidental and a result of the speaker having a limited grasp of the language. Superb reference work or one simply to browse for the pure enjoyment of wallowing in that other dimension that is figurative language.
Basically, it is a figurative language that may consist of a single word or phrase. Its a common misconception that imagery, or vivid descriptive language, is a kind of figurative language. This entertaining book provides an overview of both rhetorical and poetical figures of speech. Definitions and examples of the top 20 figures of speech. Identify the figure of speech used in each example shown in italics. A figure of speech is a word or phrase that possesses a separate meaning from its literal definition. Figures of speech in psalms sermon preparation tips. Tnpsc general english figure of speech simple and detailed explanation. There are many figures of speech in the english language, that help in expressing words, used in an extraordinary way to add beauty and emotional intensity of the language. List of figures of speech with extraordinarily easy.
Let us analyze how famous poets and writers use imagery in literature. Figures can help our readers understand and stay interested in what we have to say. This video lesson illustrates the common figures of speech in english, with definitions and examples from various spheres of real life as well as literature. Changing pronouns, for example, changes the relationship with another person. You can tune a file system, but you cant tune a fish.
Explanations of each figure of speech with examples are given below in alphabetic order. The figure of speech can be asked from poem such as. Ryken explains that poetry is heightened speech, far more compressed than prose. In doing so, you might be able to use them yourself for creative ends. Types of figures of speech with examples from literature.
Each idiom includes the pronunciation and etymology, as well as passages of scripture in which it appears along with a full explanation. The figurings of speech reveal to us the apparently limitless plasticity of language itself. Paronomasia is the use of similarsounding words to cause confusion, often for humorous effect. It may be a simile, a metaphor or personification to convey the meaning other than the literal meaning. These two figures of speech are opposite to each other. Analogy a comparison between two things that are similar in some way e. Bullinger, figures of speech used in the bible explained and illustrated, 1898.
The old man took the handful of dust, and sifted it through his fingers. Oxymoron definition and examples any passionate learner of the english language may be familiar with the different figures of speech, such as hyperbole expressions and onomatopoeic words. My legs, arms, torso, underarms, and parts of my eyebrows have been stripped of the stuff, leaving me like a plucked bird, ready for roasting. Can you find 27 figure of speech examples in this puzzle. These literary devices and rhetorical tools play an interesting role in both writing and speech.
It is often used as a figure of speech in poetry, and even advertisements use alliteration in their tag lines to make the ads more memorable. The figures of speech help us to see how he does it, and how we might. Table of contents books for gifted children from gifted. In common usage, a figure of speech is the opposite of a literal expression. The tnpsc ge question papers figure of speech will be taken from all poems of 6 th to 12 th samacheer books. In truth, there are a wealth of these literary tools in the english language. Top 20 figures of speech using original figures of speech in our writing is a way to convey meanings in fresh, unexpected ways. Finally, other figures of speech, like idioms and proverbs, allows a writer to draw on a rich cultural tradition and express complex ideas in a short space. It can be a metaphor or simile, designed to make a comparison. There 8 different figure of speech in english, like idiom, personification, metaphor, similie etc. Figures of speech figures of speech this term traditionally referred to such literary devices as simile, metaphor, and personi.
The plantain planter planted plantains in plantain plantations. Type of figurative language definition explanation example from hunger games simile simile is a comparison between two unlike things that includes the word like or as. Many of the terms used to described a certain figure of speech originate in a poem, book or performance. Hyperbolehyperbole is a figure of speech in which conscious exaggeration is used for effect. Or, it can be a different way of pronouncing a word or phrase such as with alliteration to give further meaning or a different sound. However, it might take you sometime before you become an expert in using these figures of speech. He was one step beyond an open window when the light of the bomb. It can be a metaphor or simile that is designed to further explain a concept. Any form of expression in which language is manipulated for rhetorical effect. A figure of speech is used to portray an idea more clearly or more interestingly. Perhaps ella prefers to play her cards close to her chest, and leave a little mystery by keeping an ace up her sleeve i got as far as identifying twenty or. I need to look for my watch, but i dont have the time.
1281 114 574 248 1528 528 709 1631 85 932 597 1190 1559 576 885 1491 639 1340 1240 1074 864 202 839 1150 443 1419 877 415 542 173 1355 497 531 117 854 117 37 745 145 461 1096