What Is Figurative Language? | Learn Figures of Speech for Advanced Writing & Speaking
We can express our thoughts and ideas in a simple way or in an elegant, majestic way. Plain expression uses literal language. But to make your speech or writing beautiful, impressive, memorable, and forceful, you need figurative language โ the language of literary works like novels, poems, stories, and plays. This lesson introduces rhetoric and the most important figures of speech you can use to beautify your English.
What Is Rhetoric (Figurative Language)?
Rhetoric can be defined as the ornamental and effective use of words and phrases. It is the skill or art of effective use of language in speaking and writing. A figure of speech (or rhetorical figure) is a device that departs from the ordinary use of language to create a rhetorical effect โ making the expression more beautiful, creative, and impactful.
"The man is the pillar of the party."
Literally, a pillar is a vertical stone or metal column. Figuratively, it means the backbone or most important member of the party. The literal and figurative meanings are very different.
"He is the lion of his family."
Here lion is used figuratively โ he is not an actual lion, but the bravest or most dominant member of the family.
Some Important Figures of Speech
Simile, Metaphor, Tautology, Pun, Personification, Hyperbaton, Allegory, Irony, Hyperbole, Paradox
1. Simile
A simile is a figure of speech in which a likeness between two different things is stated in an explicit way using words of comparison such as like, so, as, such.
"I wandered lonely as a cloud."
"Her eyes are flashing like the twinkling stars."
"The children are as innocent as an angel."
"The man is as brave as a lion."
"Your mind is as clear as glass."
"The boy is running like a horse."
"She is as hungry as a wolf."
"Her face is glowing like the moon."
2. Metaphor
In a metaphor, a comparison between two different things is made implicitly โ it is implied, not clearly stated. One thing is spoken of as if it were another.
"This world is nothing but a silent battlefield." (world = battlefield, implied)
"Our father is the pillar of our family." (father = pillar/guardian)
"Life is but an empty dream."
"He is the pillar of the state."
"The ship ploughs the sea."
"The camel is the ship of the desert."
"Revenge is a kind of wild justice."
"Man is a pendulum in the hand of fate."
3. Paradox
A paradox is a seemingly contradictory or absurd statement that, upon deeper reflection, reveals a valid and profound truth.
"Nine soldiers out of ten are cowards." (Seems contradictory because soldiers are brave, but fear of death makes them like ordinary men.)
"The world will be saved by failure." (Seems impossible, yet failure may prevent greater disasters.)
"There is no one so poor as a wealthy miser."
"A favourite has no friend." โ T. S. Eliot
"Silence is sometimes more eloquent than words."
"War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength." โ Orwell
4. Hyperbole (Exaggeration)
A hyperbole is an exaggerated statement or overstatement used for emphasis, not for deception. It can be used for serious or comic purposes.
"It's been decades since we met you last time." (Maybe it's been only a week or a month.)
"He offers you a thousand regrets." (Only one regret is meant, but 'thousand' adds emphasis.)
"The man is as heavy as an elephant." (He is very fat, not actually elephant-heavy.)
"A million problems have come into his life." (He has many problems, not literally a million.)
"The boy is as long as a palm tree." (He is very tall.)
"His body is harder than rock." (He is very strong and fit.)
"Her grandmother is older than the Himalayas." (She is very old.)
5. Irony
In irony, the very opposite of what is stated is intended. It is often used for humorous purposes and is a kind of indirect mockery. The actual meaning is fully opposite to the literal meaning.
Suppose Robin is a very bad boy who is not good at studying. If someone says, "Robin is a genius and honourable boy in the village." โ this is irony, because the opposite is true. The statement mocks Robin.
6. Allegory
An allegory is a fictitious narrative (story, poem, novel, drama) that delivers a broader, hidden message about real-life incidents. It has two meanings: a literal/simple meaning and a hidden/symbolic meaning.
"Animal Farm" by George Orwell โ A story of farm animals rebelling against their farmer, symbolising the Russian Communist regime.
"The Country of the Blind" by H. G. Wells
"The Selfish Giant" by Oscar Wilde
"Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift
7. Hyperbaton (Inversion)
Hyperbaton is the inversion of the normal grammatical order of words in a sentence to secure emphasis or a rhetorical effect. If the change produces no aesthetic effect, it is considered a fault; if it adds beauty, it becomes a figure of speech.
"Much have I travelled in the realms of gold." (Normal: I have travelled muchโฆ)
"This I must do." (Normal: I must do this. Emphasis on this.)
"So beautiful, she was." (Normal: She was so beautiful. Emphasis on beautiful.)
8. Personification
Personification is a figure of speech in which inanimate objects or abstract ideas are endowed with the attributes of living beings โ the ability to think, feel, and act like humans or animals.
"Opportunity knocks at the door but once." (An abstract idea is given the human action of knocking.)
"Time and tide wait for none." (Time and tide are given the human quality of waiting.)
"My stomach is crying for food."
"The sky is weeping."
"The fire swallowed the entire house."
"Time is taking our lives silently."
"The boat is dancing on the water of the river."
"Death lays his icy hand on the kings."
"Liberty is the eldest child of democracy."
9. Pun (Paronomasia)
A pun is a play on words that exploits multiple meanings of a term or similar-sounding words (with different spellings and meanings) to create a humorous or rhetorical effect.
"An ambassador is an honest man who lies abroad for the good of his country."
Here lies has two meanings: (1) resides, (2) tells a lie.
"He is not only the sole child of this family but also the soul of this family."
sole and soul have the same sound but different meanings and spellings.
"The will of a living man is fulfilled by the will of a dead father."
First will = desire; second will = legal document. Same sound, same spelling, different meanings.
10. Tautology
Tautology is the needless repetition of the same sense or idea using two or more words or phrases of the same (or almost the same) meaning in the same sentence. Synonyms are used unnecessarily.
"Every scheme and plan of his life failed." โ scheme and plan mean the same; one is sufficient.
"The man was quite exhausted and fatigued." โ exhausted and fatigued are synonyms.
"The essay is simple and easy." โ simple and easy are nearly the same.
English is a language just like your mother tongue. Using figures of speech will make your writing and speaking more beautiful, creative, and memorable. Study these rhetorical devices, and when you feel confident, start sprinkling them into your own sentences. Even the most ordinary idea can sound extraordinary with the right figure of speech.
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