Non Literal Meaning

Article

Lecturer :

Fajar Susanto, S.S.,M.Pd.

By :

Name : Mu’anifah Hanim

Nim : 195300094

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
UNIVERSITY OF PGRI ADIBUANA SURABAYA
 2021/2022

Abstract :

Semantics is a branch of linguistics which relates ith meaning. Semantics is

considered as study of meaning in languages. Semantics has long became an object
of study whitin the philosophy. It is said that the term os semantics itself was
introduced into English at the end of the 19th century. Before the introduction of
the term in 1894, the word semantics wa once used in the phrase semantic
philosophy means divination of which meaning of couse, has nothing to do with
meaning. The use of term in English, perhaps, can be traced back to use of the
French term semantique which wa coined form greek in the previous year.

The term semantics has been used in H.G Weels in Palmer the shape of things to
come speaks of the science of significs, but he says that is wa lost the sight of an
not revived until the twenty-first century.

Other names that have been used include seamsiology, semology, semiotics,
semimicsandsemics though scholars have often used some of these term to suit their
own interest and orientation. Semantics generally means as the study of meaning.
It deals with all linguistics aspect from word, phrases and sentences in language. It
has also been redefined clearly that semantics limits its study to the nature of
meaning only. It can be relevant of relative when it is study on where it has its own
contextual meaning.

There are some definitions of semantics, as following Palmer defines : semantics is

the technical term used to refer to study of meaning. Hornby defines : semantics is
branch of linguistics concerned with studying the meaning of words and sentences.
Lyons states defines : semantics is traditionally defines as the study of meaning.
From the definitions, it can be concluded that semantics is the scientifics study of
meaning. The one of semantic study is “non literal meaning”

The writer will explain about non literal meaning that usually use in semantics.
Introduction

Language is a system of communication that plays an important role in all aspects

of human life. It is the most effective tool of communication for people. Whithout
language, the world cannot develop normally. Whatever we do in this world, we
use language to express everything in our mind. The study about language is called
linguistic. Linguistics is scientific study deals with language. But although it is the
only academic disipline that deals with language alone and is concerned with, its
practitioners cannot claim a monopoly of the whole of their subject matter. One of
the branches in linguistics which concern with meaning is called semantic.
Semantics is the study of the meaning of words, phrases, or sentences in the
language or semantic meaning.

The meaning can be distinguished by the technique of subtituting other words in

the same context and enquiry whether the resulting sentences are equivalent. There
are two varieties of meaning in semantics, linguistic meaning and speaker meaning.

The linguistic meaning of expression is simply the meaning or meanings of that

espression in some form of language. Speaker meaning is what a speaker means in
producing an utterance. Speaker meaning is devided intwo differet types, literal
meaning and non literal meaning.

Literal meaning based on the real or lexical meaning of utterance. We can find this
meaning in the dictionary, for example :

1. I am a smart student
2. They are children
3. She is beautiful

Sentences above have literal meaning as long as the speakers mean lexically in
all utterances. The first sentence means that “i” is smart, or clever, has a good
knowledge, it also shows an ability in study. The second sentence means that
“they” are children, a group of child. While the third sentence means that “she”
is beautiful, or gergeous, has a nice face.

In daily activity, a speaker does not always speak literally and means what his
words mean, but sometimes the speaker speaks non literally, to tell the listener
another meaning of his word. So, non literal meaning is very important to
understand to avoid missunderstanding of the meaning between speaker and
listener.

Martin says that in the case of non literally meaning, there are a number of
different ways one can speak non literally. Non literal uses of language are
called figurative language. They described by a laarge set of rhetorical terms
including simile, methaphor, personification, apostrope, hyperbole, etc.

Non literal expression are often found in literary works such as novel, plays,
short story, poems or even in lirics of the song.

Discussion

In this chapter, figurative or non literal meaning will be discussed. In

partiucular, idiomatic or fixed expressions, metaphor, metonymy. The study of
this kind of meaning has not traditionally been the focus of linguistic semantics,
partially because it is often difficult to distinguish it precisely from literal
meaning, and also because non-literal meaning has sometimes been regarded as
largerly idisncratic and therefore as less principled and ruled govern that literal
meaning. But the study of non-literal meaning, especially methapor, has become
much more important in recent years, partly because semantics have begun to
discover that much, if not all, all of its use is not totally hahazard or
idiosyncratic, but subject to certain rules and principles that can be discovered
and described.

Non literal meaning is also called figurative language. Figurative language

creates comparisons by linking the senses and the concrete to abstract ideas.
Words or phrases are used in a non-literal way for particular effect, for example,
metaphor, personification, figurative language may also use elements of other
senses, as in hearing with onomatoeia, or in combination as in synaesthesia.

Types of Figurative Language

1. Similes

In Indonesian, similes often use the word like, like, or like; it's just that simile
is not comparing two different objects, but juxtaposing an activity with an
expression. Examples of similes in Indonesian are: His behavior is like a chick
losing its mother.

Simile figure of speech is one of the groups of comparative figures of speech

that use words as comparisons to express the intent and purpose. Simile figure
of speech is almost the same as figure of speech because they both use parable
words in sentences.

Some of the connecting words used in simile are like, like, like, like, like, like,
bak and others which are comparative words. These parables are usually used
to describe or describe the meaning or ideas or ideas that the speaker wants to
convey.

2. Hyperbole

Hyperbole is a figurative language used to express something with the

impression of being exaggerated, even almost nonsensical. Example: His
parents sweat so that the child can continue to go to school. Squeezing sweat
means working hard.

In addition, hyperbole can be interpreted as a word/sentence to represent the

excessive use of words/sentences as a rhetorical or figurative device. It can be
used to evoke strong feelings or to make a strong impression, but is not meant
to be taken literally.

Hyperbole is also used to create exaggeration or for emphasis in poetic form,

and is often encountered in casual speech. There are many uses of Hyperbole to
describe something that is better or worse than it really is. An example of a
Hyperbole is “.The bag weighed a ton.” The Hyperbole gives the impression
that the bag is very heavy, even though it may not weigh a ton.

A hyperbole is a form of wording that uses an exaggerated statement or claim

that should not be taken literally. Hyperbole is not only used in rhetoric, but is
also often found in everyday conversation.

Hyperbole can be found in literature and oral communication. They will not be
used in nonfiction works, such as medical journals or research papers; However,
they are perfect for works of fiction, especially to add color to the characters or
humor to the story. Hyperbole gives the effect of Excitement and Joy.

Metaphore is a type of figurative language that is used to place an object that is

the same as the message to be conveyed in the form of an expression. Example:
The employee is the right hand of the company's commissioner. The right hand
is an expression for people who are loyal and trusted.

In addition, metaphors are also used to explain or describe something by

referring to other things that are considered to have characteristics similar to the
thing or person who wants to be described. Example: “Her eyes are the stars in
the night sky.”

3. Metaphore

Metaphore also means describing something by using other things as a

comparison. When talking about the eyes, the comparison is usually a star. An
example is his eyes as beautiful as the stars in the sky. The selection of other
things that are used as references or comparisons is based on the similarity in
quality or characteristics of the two things. In this case, perhaps what is
considered similar is that his "eyes" are sparkling and beautiful like "stars" at
night.
Metaphor is not the real meaning, or in other words just a figurative meaning.
In Metaphor, we do not use the word "like" or "as" in comparing two things,
because the use of these two words is a characteristic of Simile. Metaphor will
state that "A is B" whereas in Simile, we simply state that "A is like B". So it's
clear now, what is the difference between Metaphor and Simile.

4. Personification

Peronification is a type of figurative language in which human qualities are

given to animals, objects or ideas. In art, Personification means representing
non-human things as if they were human. Personification gives human traits and
qualities, such as emotions, desires, sensations, movement and speech, often
expressed by means of metaphors.

In addition, personification is widely used in the visual arts. Examples of

Personification in writing are “leaves waving in the wind”, “the ocean sighs” or
“The sun smiles at us”. In simple language, Personification only gives examples
of living things to inanimate objects. "The wind screams". Obviously the wind
can't scream, only people can. This is what is called Personification.

5. Onomatopoeia

Figurative language type onomatopoeia is a type of rhetorical device where a

word that is written or spoken is an imitation of a sound effect. The sound effects
come from things around us such as the sound of dripping water, the sound of
the wind blowing, the sound of animals, even the sound produced from the
friction of the rubber tires of a vehicle with the asphalt when we brake suddenly
at high speed or also the sound of a door being closed in an odd way. slammed.

In addition, onomatopoeia are words that express sounds which are used to say
that when we try to write down the sounds that occur around us, what we
produce is what we call Onomatopoeia.

The most common use of Onomatopoeia we encounter is in comic books. If we

look at the words belonging to onomatopoeia generally do not contain any
meaning. The word is purely an imitation of sound which aims to help describe
a situation or condition.

The conditions that occur will have an effect that makes the reader or listener
can illustrate in their minds and feel as if they are able to hear the sound effect.

Therefore, in general, the imitation of the sound in Onomatopoeia already has

a standard, this is intended so that readers and listeners in general can quickly
understand what sound is being imitated, such as the word "Kaboom!" which
illustrates a very loud “Explosion” sound like a bomb exploding and so on.
Onomatopoeia does not only appear in English, and it turns out that even though
each sound actually sounds the same to people from various places.

However, there are differences in terms of symbolizing or writing of these

sounds between one culture and another or in this case it is often called Cross-
cultural differences. For example, the sound of a car horn, in Indonesian we
usually imitate the sound of a car horn by saying "Tin-Tin" or sometimes "Tit-
Tit". It turns out that in Mandarin, this sound is symbolized by “ba-ba”, in
French “tut-tut”, in Portuguese “fom-fom”, in Japanese “pu-pu”, in Vietnamese
“bim-bim” , and in Korean “bbang-bbang”.

Conclusion

Literal language means exactly what it says, while non-literal language

means a different meaning from normal
1. High wind battered UN yesterday
2. The batter become ready
In this sentence, batter has a non-literal meaning. It’s mean a mixture of
flour, eggs and milk used to make pancakes. In this sentence, turn your
eyes in a particular direction is the literal meaning of look.
1. Look carefully at the two pictures and try to find the difference between
them.
2. The boy looks like his father
In this sentence, look has a non-literal meaning. It’s mean seem or
appear. The context clue “like his father” helps the reader understand that
the meaning is non-literal.
 Literal language is language that means the literal, or dictionary, meaning
of a word or phrase. Non – literal language is language that goes beyond
the dictionary meaning of the word or phrase.
 Writers use non-literal language to help readers better picture or
understand something
 Writers and speakers also use commom expressions, called idioms, to
indicate something beyond what the words actually mean.
You can use context clues as well as your own knowledge and
experience to help you determine if the meaning of a word of phrase is
literal or non-literal.

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