Abstract
This is a paper that will define and illustrate the elements of figurative language.
Misusing Figurative Language can be just as annoying or comical as misusing words; therefore it behooves the writer or the speaker to make sure that he or she is familiar with the term before using it.
It is more acceptable to use bad grammar than to misuse a word; especially if one is in public. No one can truly say that he or she has never used figurative language. We begin to use figurative language the moment we learn to speak, albeit we do so more often than not, inadvertently. It is not the size of the word that makes writing or speech understood but the application of the words. One very much used figure of speech is the simile, even the illiterate person can use this term appropriate. The simile is used to compare two things; for example: Her dress is as white as snow.
The following definitions are taken from Glossary of Literary Terms,” Wikipedia The online Encyclopedia. An analogy is using one situation to explain another situation. That just does not make sense, does it? Here is an example of analogy; we were walking through the woods on a hot day, dripping with sweat when we walked into a spiders’ web, all the little spiders started crawling over us. Remember how that felt? He is so dirty and smelly, he makes my skin crawl. Can you feel the bugs crawling on your skin? That is it, an analogy. The next time you are having trouble explaining a concept use an analogy.
“A cliché is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning, or effect,.” It is not only the work of an artist that can become generic, it can be anything; that almost happen to Xerox when people started to say Xerox copy. Placing an explanation in writing does not have much use until it is used in an application. This is what a cliché is, when what is now called thermos was first introduced it was not called thermos; that was the name of the person who patent it. Because thermos was written on the jar people stated to referring to it as thermos, at which point it lost its originality and that cold storage jar becomes thermos.
Colloquialism is the use constructed words, phrases we use them in conversations and informal language but they are not acceptable in formal writing or speech.” Don’t talk with food in your mouth. The “don’t,” is an example of colloquial language. This is never accepted in formal writing even though it is sometimes use in public speeches, as a matter of fact, it is becoming more and more acceptable in public places but formal writing will not compromise. In formal language, words are never abbreviated.
“An idiom's figurative meaning is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made.” What that means is a sentence that is used literally, say athe same sentence as an idiom and it has a figurative meaning. Idioms are numerous and they occur frequently in all languages.” You are pulling my leg. No, I am not. I have just demonstrated what an idiom is. The sentence that was just used can be literally and figurative. You could pull my leg and you could be making fun of me. Tonight we are having take out, is another example of an idiom. Next time you think of making fun of someone use an idiom.
Bibliography
“Dr. Martin Luther King Speech” Retrieved fromhttp://abcnews.go.com/Politics/martin-luther- kings-speech-dream-full-text/story?id=14358231
Glossary of Literary Terms,” Wikipedia The online Encycopoedia
