What do you mean by “figure of speech”?
What do you mean by
(Part: 2)
Did you brush your canvas with the hues of figures of speech discussed in the previous blog? If not, do it now!
The figures of speech are rhetorical literary devices that add creative affluence to your words and thoughts. As per Encyclopaedia Britannica, “It is any intentional deviation from literal statement or common usage that emphasizes, clarifies, or embellishes both written and spoken language. Forming an integral part of language, figures of speech are found in oral pieces of literature as well as in polished poetry and prose and in everyday speech.”
There are twenty different types of figures of speech. We have discussed five of them in the previous post, and five more we will discuss here.
So, let’s dive. Shall we?
In simple words, this technique is used to glorify or exemplify something or someone better than it already is. In simpler words, exaggerating through words. However, that is not it. Its main purpose is to create an astounding and everlasting effect on the readers. When you have to write in hyperbole, you have to first comprehend and evaluate how much and how far you want to glorify your idea before penning it down. For exaggerations might not be true every time. You have to judge it appropriately.
Examples:
- “To infinity and beyond.” Dialogue from the movie Toy Story.
- You look so pretty! I am gonna die!
- I am the king of the world.
- Her anger could shiver clouds.
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines paradox as, “A statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true.” It might be a logical statement with a true premise but the conclusion it withdraws leads to contradictory results or illogical inferences. In simple words, “It is a statement that self-contradicts.”
Examples:
- I know one thing, that I know nothing.
- There is only one rule — there is no rule.
- The second sentence is false. The first sentence is true.
- The beginning is the end of the book.
As the name suggests, it is used to attribute human characteristics to something that is not human. “The description of an object or an idea as if it had human characteristics,” says Cambridge University. It is used to bring out deeper meaning through the human touch. This can be used to bring empathy and emotions in non-human things or narrative which is devoid of the human element.
Examples:
- Stars winked through the darkness of the night.
- Sunflowers dance on sunny days.
- Clouds roared and howled last night.
- Moonlight danced on the ocean waves.
As per the Oxford Dictionary, “A figure of speech by which a more comprehensive term is used for a less comprehensive or vice versa, as whole for part or part for the whole.” In simple words, it is a rhetorical device that is used for the terms that represent a part of something to substitute for the whole thing.
Examples:
- “It’s in the papers” — uses “papers” to mean a newspaper.
- India took home Gold — representing the player who won a gold medal for the country.
- Check out my new wheels — it means the wheels of the car.
- Have you seen my glasses — it means reading glasses.
As explained by Cambridge University, “It is a statement that describes something in a way that makes it seem less important, serious, bad, etc. than it really is, or the act of making such statements.” It is the opposite of Hyperbole which we discussed above. The sentences are devoid of any embellishments and exaggeration.
Examples:
- I am kind of excited.
- It is just a minor burn.
- The CEO has some money in his savings.
- December was not that cold last year.
These were five more figures of speech that you can add to aggrandize your words. But while doing so, don’t forget to revise and add the first five we discussed in the previous blog. Let the magic unveil on your pages.
Stay tuned for two more parts that are coming your way. Watch this space for more!
