Figurative Language

Figurative Language We’ll cover tons of them!

Alliteration Hyperbole Metaphor Simile Onomatopoeia Personification Parody Synecedoche Idiom Irony Juxtaposition Oxymoron Paradox Parallelism Repetition Allusion Pun Satire Aphorism Connotation/denotation Assonance/Consonance We’ll cover these:

Alliteration • Alliteration happens when the beginning of words start with the same consonant or vowel sounds. • All the words must be close together.

Alliteration • Examples: • Sally Sold seven sea shells at the sea shore. • The crazy cat climbed up the crooked cable.

Hyperbole • Hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to give a certain impact within your statement. • You use these a million times a day!

Hyperbole • Examples: • Sounds like a herd of buffalo! • Working like a dog! • She’s madder than an old wet hen! • I bit off more than I can chew!

Metaphor • A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares dissimilar objects that are alike in some way. • They help create a clearer picture. • DO NOT use these words: like, as, than, similar to and resembles.

Metaphor • Examples: • That guy is a motor mouth. • Means that guy is never quiet • That athlete is a powerhouse. • Means the athlete is strong

Simile • A simile is a figure of speech which resembles a metaphor but uses these words: like, as, than, similar to.

Simile • Examples: • The lie formed like a blister on his lips. • Means: he lied and it was ugly. • Her heart was like a shattered light bulb. • Means: she was heart-broken.

Onomatopoeia • Onomatopoeia is the usage of word which best demonstrates the sound it makes. • Comics are a good resource to find these “sound words” such as: crash, boom, bang, crunch, kerplunk, zap and buzz.

Onomatopoeia • Examples: • The water gurgled down the drain. • The little kid slurped his soup. • The noisy chicken clucked her head off!

Personification • Personification is a figure of speech which uses a strategy to give objects, things or animals human characteristics which we recognize in ourselves. • Personification has the root word “person” to give you a clue as to how this figure of speech was developed.

Personification • Examples: • The camera hates me. • Means: I take an awful picture. • Technology is out to get me! • Means: I can’t get it to work when I want it to.

Oxymoron • A two to three word phrase that contains opposite words or ideas • Example: Wise fool • Working Vacation • Plastic Glasses

Paradox • An extended oxymoron. It pits contradictory ideas against one another so that the statement appears to be untrue. However, when the reader evaluates a paradox in context, he or she discovers the paradox to hold a profound truth.

Paradox • Example: • “Good men must not obey the laws too well.” Ralph Waldo Emmerson • “Much Madness is Divinest Sense” Emily Dickinson

Parallelism • It the repetition of words, phrases or sentence structures. It adds • It adds rhythm and emotional impact to writing. • It appears in poetry, speeches, and other literary forms.

Parallelism • Ex. Not only is she my mother, but she is also my best friend. …not only, but also • I need her to love me, to comfort me, and to protect me.

Repetition • Words or phrases repeated in writing to produce emphasis, rhythm, and/or sense of urgency. • Ex. The cook was a good cook, as cooks go; and as cooks go, she went. • “I…I…I…don’t have Mme. Forestier’s necklace.”

Allusion • A reference made to a famous person, place, or event. Allusions should be familiar to the author’s intended audience for them to be effective.

Allusions… • Mary said, “Cale is my Prince Charming!” • Kevin doesn’t do so well in math, but in art class, he’s a regular Picasso.

Pun…a play on words • People have a happy time vacationing in Ireland because they are walking on Eire. • In the winter my dog wears his coat, but in the summer he wears his coat and pants.

Satire • Writing that makes fun of habits, ideas, or weaknesses in a person, an institution, an entire society, or humanity in general. • Ex. Weird Al Yankovic’s songs

Parody • Writing that makes fun of a piece of literature, art or music. • Ex. Saturday Night Live creates parodies of famous people, commercials, etc.

Synecdoche • a figure of speech in which the word for part of something is used to mean the whole, e.g. "sail" for "boat," or vice versa • bread for food, the army for a soldier, or copper for a penny

Aphorism • Is any general truth conveyed in a short and pithy sentence, in such a way that when once heard it is unlikely to pass from memory. • Example: He who rocks the boat seldom has time to row it.

Idiom • A phrase common to people who speakt he same language that doesn’t literally mean what it says. • Ex. Cat got your tongue • Ex. Two Peas in a Pod

Irony • Is a contradictory statement or situation • Ex: Having a free ride on roller coaster after you have already paid. • Song Lyrics to “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette

Juxtaposition • Is two random objects moving in parallel • Ex.

Is the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with a word. Ex. America- connotes freedom, individualism, and opportunity. Is the dictionary definition of a word Ex. America-denotes the country south of Canada and north of Mexico. Connotation Denotation

Is the repetition of vowel sounds at the beginning, middle, or end of a word. Ex. He is all pine, and I apple orchard (a sound) Is the repetition of consonant sounds anywhere within a word. Ex. Liesstretching to my dazzled sight/ A luminous belt, a misty light (s and l sounds) Assonance Consonance

Figurative Language