OPTIONAL ENGLISH - FIGURES OF SPEECH
Figure of Speech:
Figure of Speech is a poetic device which consists the use of words and phrases in such a manner as to give more emphasis on a point or make the meaning even more clear. It is very helpful to express emotions in a beautiful and refined manner. It is very important in poetry as it helps in creating a vivid effect while expressing emotions. Though it is also used in prose, it is extensively made use of in poetry as poetry tends to contain intense emotions within few words.
1) Simile: This is a direct comparison between two different things. One similar quality of the things is compared. It is very simple comparison. Words of comparison “like, as, so” are used in simile. E.g., As brave as a lion
2) Epic or Homeric Simile: It is also called “long-tailed simile”. Many similar qualities between two things are compared. The comparison is very complicated and is very long. It was first used by Homer, the great Greek poet. It is mostly used in epic poems all over the world.
3) Metaphor: A metaphor is an implied simile. It is like a “carry over”. In this, the meaning is carried over from one word to another word. Comparison is not directly shown, it is indirect. Words “like, as, so” are not used. E.g., The camel is the Ship of the Desert.
4) Personification: This is a special kind of metaphor. Here, non-living objects and qualities are spoken of as if they are living beings. Lifeless objects and abstract ideas are given life. E.g., Luck knocks the door.
5) Pathetic Fallacy: In this, human emotions are given to lifeless objects and abstract ideas. It is a special kind of personification.
6) Apostrophe: Here, lifeless objects and abstract ideas are addressed as if they are alive. The poet who uses this figure of speech speaks as if he is speaking to an non-living object.
7) Hyperbole: The meaning of hyperbola is “exaggeration”. This is used to represent things as more bigger or smaller than they actually are, to produce more effect on the readers.
8) Metonymy: This is “substitution for name”. This consists of substituting the thing named for the thing meant. E.g., grey hair as a substitute for old age.
9) Synecdoche: This is a special form of metonymy. There is substitution of a part of the whole or vice versa. A concrete noun can be substituted by an abstract noun, an individual can be substituted by a class or a thing can be substituted by its material.
10) Oxymoron: It is the association or bringing together of two words which have opposite meanings.
11) Antithesis: In this, one word or idea is set against another, to highlight the contrast.
12) Onomatopoeia: It is the use of words whose sounds itself conveys the idea of the writer to the reader.
13) Epigram: A saying which is surprising or expresses antithetical ideas is called epigram.
14) Irony: In this, the real meaning is just the opposite of what is being actually said.
15) Pun: In this, the same word is used to mean two or more things.
16) Alliteration: It is the repetition of the letters or syllables, of the same sound at the beginning of two or more words in a line.
17) Transferred Epithet: In this, an adjective is transferred from a person to an object.
Figure of Speech:
Figure of Speech is a poetic device which consists the use of words and phrases in such a manner as to give more emphasis on a point or make the meaning even more clear. It is very helpful to express emotions in a beautiful and refined manner. It is very important in poetry as it helps in creating a vivid effect while expressing emotions. Though it is also used in prose, it is extensively made use of in poetry as poetry tends to contain intense emotions within few words.
1) Simile: This is a direct comparison between two different things. One similar quality of the things is compared. It is very simple comparison. Words of comparison “like, as, so” are used in simile. E.g., As brave as a lion
2) Epic or Homeric Simile: It is also called “long-tailed simile”. Many similar qualities between two things are compared. The comparison is very complicated and is very long. It was first used by Homer, the great Greek poet. It is mostly used in epic poems all over the world.
3) Metaphor: A metaphor is an implied simile. It is like a “carry over”. In this, the meaning is carried over from one word to another word. Comparison is not directly shown, it is indirect. Words “like, as, so” are not used. E.g., The camel is the Ship of the Desert.
4) Personification: This is a special kind of metaphor. Here, non-living objects and qualities are spoken of as if they are living beings. Lifeless objects and abstract ideas are given life. E.g., Luck knocks the door.
5) Pathetic Fallacy: In this, human emotions are given to lifeless objects and abstract ideas. It is a special kind of personification.
6) Apostrophe: Here, lifeless objects and abstract ideas are addressed as if they are alive. The poet who uses this figure of speech speaks as if he is speaking to an non-living object.
7) Hyperbole: The meaning of hyperbola is “exaggeration”. This is used to represent things as more bigger or smaller than they actually are, to produce more effect on the readers.
8) Metonymy: This is “substitution for name”. This consists of substituting the thing named for the thing meant. E.g., grey hair as a substitute for old age.
9) Synecdoche: This is a special form of metonymy. There is substitution of a part of the whole or vice versa. A concrete noun can be substituted by an abstract noun, an individual can be substituted by a class or a thing can be substituted by its material.
10) Oxymoron: It is the association or bringing together of two words which have opposite meanings.
11) Antithesis: In this, one word or idea is set against another, to highlight the contrast.
12) Onomatopoeia: It is the use of words whose sounds itself conveys the idea of the writer to the reader.
13) Epigram: A saying which is surprising or expresses antithetical ideas is called epigram.
14) Irony: In this, the real meaning is just the opposite of what is being actually said.
15) Pun: In this, the same word is used to mean two or more things.
16) Alliteration: It is the repetition of the letters or syllables, of the same sound at the beginning of two or more words in a line.
17) Transferred Epithet: In this, an adjective is transferred from a person to an object.
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