FIGURES OF SPEECH

Figure of speech—word or phrase that makes a

comparison between seemingly unlike things.

He collapsed onto the grass like a half-empty

flour sack.
from “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst

You’ll come across figures of speech—or figurative

language—in poetry, in prose, and in everyday
speaking and writing.
 FIGURES OF SPEECH

Figures of speech
• are not literally true

• make imaginative connections

• express meaning in fresh and

original ways

• often act as a kind of shorthand

 FIGURES OF SPEECH
Some figures of speech have become part of our
everyday language. We don’t even think about the
fact that they aren’t literally true.

He didn’t notice how quickly the time

flew by.
My heart leapt at the thought.
She must have gotten tied up in traffic.
His room is a pigsty.
 LANGUAGE TYPES
We’re going to look at two types of language:

4
FIGURATIVE VS. LITERAL
To understand

one has to understand the

difference between
figurative and literal
5
 MORE ON LITERAL
To be literal is to mean what
you say. For example:
If I tell you to sit down,
I mean it literally: “sit down,”
as in: “sit in your seat now,
please.”
My meaning is exactly what I say. 6
 AND MORE ON LITERAL
Here’s another example.
I’m tired and going home.
This means “I’m tired and I’m going
home” there is no other meaning
other than what is said.
I mean exactly what I say. 7
 2 ND
FIGURATIVE

For example:

I’m not suggesting we get into

the freezer. 8
FIGURATIVE
CONTINUED

…means let’s relax together

and do something fun.
It has nothing
to do with temperature.
9
FIGURATIVE VS. LITERAL
Confused?
Think of it this way:
Literal as exactly what you mean.
Figurative as meaning something
else.

10
 WHY FIGURATIVE
LANGUAGE?

Also known as descriptive

language, or poetic language,
figurative language helps the
writer paint a picture in the
reader’s mind. 11
 AGAIN: FIGURATIVE
LANGUAGE
Figurative Language does
not always mean what is
being said or read, but
serves to make it more
interesting.
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 SIX TYPES OF
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

There are six types that we’re

going to look at, and yes,
you’ll need to learn all six.
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 SIX TYPES OF
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

You will need to:

•understand them
•identify them
•use them in your writing 14
 TYPES OF FIGURATIVE
LANGUAGE
• Simile
• Metaphor
• Alliteration
• Personification
• Hyperbole
• Onomatopoeia

S.M.A.P.H.O.
 SIMILE
• A figure of speech that compares two
unlike things, using the words like or
as.
Example: The muscles on his
brawny arms are as strong as iron
bands.
 SIMILE
Simile—comparison between two unlike things,
using a word such as like, as, than, or resembles.

A lone oak tree stood in the front yard

like an aged but dedicated sentry.

The dew on the leaves glistened as

brilliantly as loose diamonds on silk.

That child’s eyes are warmer than the

summer’s sandy beach.
 SIMILE
More examples of similes:
•She is like a rainy day.
•He is as busy as a bee.
•They are like two peas in a pod.
•The metal twisted like a ribbon.
Joyet 2004 18
Quick Check SIMILE
Identify the two
My mother has the prettiest tricks
similes in this
Of words and words and words. excerpt.
Her talk comes out as smooth and sleek
As breasts of singing birds.
......................
We had not dreamed these things were so
Of sorrow and of mirth.
Her speech is as a thousand eyes
Through which we see the earth.
—from “Songs for my Mother” by Anna
Hempstead Branch
Quick Check SIMILE
Identify the two
My mother has the prettiest tricks
similes in this
Of words and words and words. excerpt.
Her talk comes out as smooth and sleek
As breasts of singing birds.
......................
We had not dreamed these things were so
Of sorrow and of mirth.
Her speech is as a thousand eyes
Through which we see the earth.
—from “Songs for my Mother” by Anna
Hempstead Branch
Quick Check SIMILE
What meaning is
My mother has the prettiest tricks
expressed by each
Of words and words and words. simile?
Her talk comes out as smooth and sleek
She has a beautiful,
As breasts of singing birds. soothing voice.
.................
We had not dreamed these things were so
The mother’s words
Of sorrow and of mirth. influence the
Her speech is as a thousand eyes children’s
Through which we see the earth. perceptions of the
world.
—from “Songs for my Mother” by Anna
Hempstead Branch
 IMPORTANT!
Using “like” or “as” doesn’t make a simile.
A comparison must be made.

Not a Simile: I like pizza.

Simile: The moon is like a pizza.

 METAPHOR
• A figure of speech that compares two
unlike things without using like or as. You
simply state one thing is another thing.
Example: The road was a ribbon
wrapped through
the dessert.
 METAPHOR
More examples of metaphors:
She is a graceful swan.
He is a golden god.
They are honey from the
honeycomb. 24
 METAPHOR

The flood waters rose,

and the river became a
ravenous monster.
Raging on for hours, it
consumed everything in
its sight.
 METAPHOR
Poets use metaphors to make the reader think
about new ways of seeing things.
• What is the poet trying to say with this
metaphor?

My heart it was a floating bird

That through the world did wander free,
But he hath locked it in a cage,
And lost the silver key.
—from “The Prince” by Josephine Dodge Daskam
 METAPHOR
A direct metaphor directly compares two things
using a verb such as is.
His ideas were a flock of birds
in flight.

An indirect metaphor implies or suggests the

comparison.
His ideas spread their wings and soared freely.
Quick Check METAPHOR
Identify each
This computer is a dinosaur.
metaphor as
either direct or
She stared at me with venomous indirect.
eyes and hissed out her reply.

The old motorcycle barked and

yipped before it started up with
a howl.

Today my mind is the wind

blowing across rolling hills.

[End of Section]
Quick Check METAPHOR
Direct Identify each
This computer is a dinosaur.
metaphor as
either direct or
She stared at me with venomous Indirect indirect.
eyes and hissed out her reply.

The old motorcycle barked and Indirect

yipped before it started up with
a howl.

Today my mind is the wind Direct

blowing across rolling hills.
Brian was a wall, bouncing every
tennis ball back over the net.
This metaphor compares Brian to a
wall because __________.
a. He was very strong.
b. He was very tall.
c. He kept returning the balls.
d. His body was made of cells.

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Brian was a wall, bouncing every
tennis ball back over the net.
This metaphor compares Brian to a
wall because __________.
a. He was very strong.
b. He was very tall.
c. He kept returning the balls.
d. His body was made of cells.

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We would have had more pizza to eat if
Tammy hadn’t been such a hog.
Tammy was being compared to a hog
because she __________.
a. looked like a hog
b. ate like a hog
c. smelled like a hog
d. was as smart as a hog

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We would have had more pizza to eat if
Tammy hadn’t been such a hog.
Tammy was being compared to a hog
because she __________.
a. looked like a hog
b. ate like a hog
c. smelled like a hog
d. was as smart as a hog

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Cindy was such a mule. We couldn’t
get her to change her mind.
The metaphor compares Cindy to a
mule because she was __________.
a. always eating oats
b. able to do hard work
c. raised on a farm
d. very stubborn

Joyet 2004 34
Cindy was such a mule. We couldn’t
get her to change her mind.
The metaphor compares Cindy to a
mule because she was __________.
a. always eating oats
b. able to do hard work
c. raised on a farm
d. very stubborn

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 The poor rat didn’t have a chance.
Our old cat, a bolt of lightning,
caught his prey.
The cat was compared to a bolt of
lightning because he was _______.
a. very fast b. very bright
c. not fond of fleas d. very old

Joyet 2004 36
 The poor rat didn’t have a chance.
Our old cat, a bolt of lightning,
caught his prey.
The cat was compared to a bolt of
lightning because he was _______.
a. very fast b. very bright
c. not fond of fleas d. very old

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Even a child could carry my dog,
Dogface, around for hours. He’s
such a feather.
This metaphor implies that Dogface:
a. is not cute b. looks like a
bird
c. is not heavy d. can fly

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Even a child could carry my dog,
Dogface, around for hours. He’s
such a feather.
This metaphor implies that Dogface:
a. is not cute b. looks like a
bird
c. is not heavy d. can fly

39
Metonymy is a figure of speech
which a thing or concept is not
called by its own name, but by the
name of something intimately
associated with that thing or
concept. (as “crown” in “lands
belonging to the crown”)
“According to the White House”

The White House isn’t a living

human object so it can not be
literally asked to talk so as
metonymy it represents the
President or the administration
or even the government in
general.
 THE WHITE HOUSE –
FOR THE PRESIDENT– THE GOVERNMENT
THE BOTTLE FOR ALCOHOLIC DRINK.

THE PRESS FOR JOURNALISM

A SKIRT FOR A WOMAN
MOZART FOR MOZART'S MUSIC
THE OVAL OFFICE FOR THE US

PRESIDENCY.
“ MY OLD MAN”

“Old Man” refers to father.

Father may or may not be
considered old, but “old
man” is associated as an
attribute related to father.

By extension see
“old woman” or “old lady” –
Though generally “old lady”
has a different connotation.
46
-SUBSTITUTING A DIFFERENT
WORD OR PHRASE, AS LONG AS
THE CONNECTION STILL MAKES
SENSE, GIVES WRITERS THE
FREEDOM TO GET MORE
CREATIVE WITH LANGUAGE. 47
 FOR EXAMPLE, TAKE THE
PHRASE “THE PEN IS MIGHTIER
THAN THE SWORD,” WHICH
-YOU CAN ADD CONTAINS TWO EXAMPLES OF
MEANING AND METONYMY. “PEN” AND “SWORD”
COMPLEXITY TO ARE EVERYDAY WORDS, BUT
EVEN THE MOST
ORDINARY WORD WHEN SUBSTITUTED FOR
BY HAVING IT “WRITTEN WORDS” AND
STAND IN TO MEAN “MILITARY FORCE,” THEIR
SOMETHING ELSE. MEANING BECOME MUCH MORE
SYMBOLIC. THE PHRASE IMPLIES
THAT THE WRITTEN WORD IS
MORE POWERFUL THAN MILITARY
48

FORCE.
SHORT PHRASES CAN SOMETIMES BE
PUNCHIER AND MORE PROFOUND.
JOURNALISTS AND SPEECHWRITERS
OFTEN USE METONYMY TO REPLACE
COMPLICATED IDEAS WITH SHORTER,
SIMPLER ALTERNATIVES TO HELP
AUDIENCES BETTER UNDERSTAND
COMPLICATED CONCEPTS. 49
 ALLITERATION
• Repeated consonant sounds occurring at the
beginning of words or within words.
Example: She was wide-eyed and
wondering while she waited for Walter to
waken.
 ALLITERATION
More examples of alliteration:
• Sally Sells Seashells By The Sea
Shore
• Rolling, Racing, Roaring,
Rapids

Joyet 2004 51
 ALLITERATION
Tongue twisters are generally
alliterations.
For example: Busy batters bat
baseballs by bases.

• "Peter Piper picked a peck of

pickled peppers."
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 PERSONIFICATION

• A figure of speech which gives the qualities of a

human to non-human things (an animal, an
object, or an idea).
Example: “The wind yells while blowing."
The wind cannot yell. Only a living thing can
yell.
 PERSONIFICATION
More examples of personification:

The heat ripped the breath from

her lungs.

The leaves danced in the wind

Joyet 2004 54
 PERSONIFICATION
• Hunger sat shivering on the road.
• The streets are calling me.
• Flowers danced about the lawn.
• The water on the lake shivered.

Joyet 2004 55
 PERSONIFICATION
•The sleeping water reflected the
evening sky.
•Humidity breathed in the girl's
face and ran its greasy fingers
through her hair.
•The tree arrested the oncoming
car.
Joyet 2004 56
 HYPERBOLE
• An exaggerated statement used to impress
or stress something. It is not used to mislead
the reader, but to emphasize a point.
Example: She’s said so on several million
occasions.
 HYPERBOLE
Take for example:
“He never speaks to her.”
Never? That is a very long time.
Hyperbole means to exaggerate.
Joyet 2004 58
 HYPERBOLE
Hyperbole example:
•We have a ton of work.

A ton is a lot of work. A ton is

also two thousand pounds.
Joyet 2004 59
 HYPERBOLE
Hyperbole example:
• I ate two thousand pounds of pasta.
Two thousand pounds is also known
as a ton, this person must be really
obese.
Joyet 2004 60
 HYPERBOLE
Hyperbole example:
• I told you a million times.

I don’t mind repeating myself, but

a million times? That’s a lot.
Joyet 2004 61
 ONOMATOPOEIA
• The use of words that mimic sounds.
Example: The firecracker made a
loud ka-boom!
 ONOMATOPOEIA
The formation or use of words
such as buzz, murmur or boo
that imitate the sounds
associated with the objects or
actions they refer to.
Joyet 2004 63
 ONOMATOPOEIA
Examples of the onomatopoeia:
• Bang, went the gun!

• Swoosh went the basketball

through the hoop.
Joyet 2004 64
 ONOMATOPOEIA IN
PRACTICE
Onomatopoeia is the use of words whose
sounds make you think of their meanings.

For example; buzz, thump, pop.

Many comic strips use onomatopoeia.

Joyet 2004 65
 ONOMATOPOEIA

Joyet 2004 66
WE’VE LOOKED AT
Literal vs. Figurative
Remember:

Real vs. Imaginary

Joyet 2004 67
REFLECTION

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REFLECTION

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 FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
RESOURCES
• Eye on Idioms (Online PPT)
• Paint by Idioms (Game)
• Alliteration or Simile? (Quiz)
• Similes and Metaphors (PPT)
• The Search for Similes, Metaphors, and Idioms (PPT)
• Alliteration (PPT)
• Onomatopoeia (PPT)
• Personification (PPT)
• Hyperbole (PPT)
• Idioms (PPT)
• Simile (PPT)
 TEACHING SIMILES AND
METAPHORS
• Alliteration Lesson Plan and Resources
http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/harrisms/1allitera.htm
• Hyperbole- Lesson Plans and Resources
http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/harrisms/10lesson.htm
• Idiom Lesson Plan
http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/harrisms/6lesson.htm
• Imagery- Lesson Plans and Resources
http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/harrisms/imagery2.htm
• Lesson Plan for Puns
http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/harrisms/5lesson.htm
• Onomatopoeia- Lesson Plans and Resources
http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/harrisms/9lesson.htm
• Personification Lesson Plans and Resources
http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/harrisms/7lesson.htm
• Proverbs- Lesson Plans and Resources
http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/harrisms/proverbs2.htm
Joyet 2004 72
Joyet 2004 73