Literal and figurative language

Literal and figurative language is a distinction in traditional systems for analyzing language. Literal language refers to words that do not deviate from their defined meaning. 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.These alterations result in figures of speech.

Details and examples

In traditional analysis, words in literal expressions denote what they mean according to common or dictionary usage, while the words in figurative expressions connote—they add layers of meaning. To convert an utterance into meaning, the human mind requires a cognitive framework, made up of memories of all the possible meanings that might be available to apply to the particular words in their context. This set of memories will give prominence to the most common or literal meanings, but also suggest reasons for attributing meanings, e.g., the reader understands that the author intended it to mean something different.

For example, the sentence "The ground is thirsty" is partly figurative: "Ground" has a literal meaning, but the ground is not alive and therefore neither needs to drink nor feels thirst. Readers immediately reject a literal interpretation and confidently interpret the words to mean "The ground is dry," an analogy to the condition that would trigger thirst in an animal. However, the statement "When I first saw her, my soul began to quiver" is harder to interpret. It could describe infatuation, panic, or something else entirely. The context a person requires to interpret this statement is familiarity with the speaker's feelings. Other people can give a few words a provisional set of meanings, but cannot understand the figurative utterance until acquiring more information about it.

Figurative language departs from literal meaning to achieve a special effect or meaning. Techniques for doing so are listed in the article on Figures of speech.

Specific Examples

Simile: [sim-uh-lee] –noun 1. a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared, as in “she is like a rose.” Compare metaphor. Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English < Latin: image, likeness, comparison, noun use of neuter of similis similar. Example: Suzie is as quiet as a mouse and as tall as a giraffe

Metaphor: [met-uh-fawr, -fer] –noun 1. a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in “A mighty fortress is our god.” Compare mixed metaphor, simile def. 1 . Origin: 1525–35; < Latin metaphora < Greek metaphorá a transfer, akin to metaphérein to transfer. See meta-, -phore Example: She was a hippo compared to her ant of a sister.

Onomatopoeia: [on-uh-mat-uh-pee-uh, ‐mah-tuh‐] –noun 1. the formation of a word, as cuckoo or boom, by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent. Origin: 1570–80; < Late Latin < Greek onomatopoiía making of words = onomato- (combining form of ónoma name) + poi- (stem of poieîn to make; see poet) + -ia -ia Example: “Bark! Bark!” went the dog as he chased the car that vroomed past.

Personification: [per-son-uh-fi-key-shuh n] –noun 1. the attribution of a personal nature or character to inanimate objects or abstract notions, especially as a rhetorical figure. Origin: 1745–55; personi(fy) + -fication Example: The sun opened its sleepy eyes and smiled down on the Earth as a new day began.

Oxymoron, n. A figure of speech in which a pair of opposite or contradictory terms are used together for emphasis. Origin: < post-classical Latin oxymoronfigure of speech in which a pair of opposed or markedly contradictory terms are placed in conjunction for emphasis (5th cent.; also oxymorum) < ancient Greek ὀξυ-oxy- comb. form1+ μωρόςdull, stupid, foolish (see moron n.2). Example: Julie likes to play in the lake and explore the depths of the shallows.

Paradox, n. A statement or proposition which is self-contradictory, unreasonable, or illogical. Origin: < Middle French, French paradoxe(1495 as noun; 1372–4 in plural paradoxesas the title of a work by Cicero; paradoxon(noun) philosophical paradox in post-classical Latin also a figure of speech < ancient Greek παράδοξον, especially in plural παράδοξαStoical paradoxes, use as noun of neuter singular of παράδοξος(adjective) contrary to received opinion or expectation < παρα-para- prefix1+ δόξαopinion (see doxology n.), after ancient Greek παρὰ δόξανcontrary to expectation. Example: The lake only dries up when there’s no more water in it.

Hyperbole, n. A figure of speech which uses an extravagant or exaggerated statement to express strong feelings. Origin: < Greek ὑπερβολήexcess (compare hyperbola n.), exaggeration; the latter sense is first found in Isocrates and Aristotle. Compare French hyperbole(earlier yperbole). Example: They had been walking so long John thought he might drink the entire lake when they came upon it.

Extended Metaphor, n. A metaphor that is continued over multiple sentences. Example: Suzie is a beautiful young flowering girl. Her cheeks are flush with the spring of life. She has the fragrance of youth about her.

See also

• Figures of speech
• Linguistics
• Philosophy of language
• Rhetoric
• Semantics
• Semiotics
• Trope

External links

• The Word We Love To Hate. Literally. from Slate Magazine
• Figures of Speech from Silva Rhetoricae