A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated. For example, the tea branches danced with the breeze. Litotes is a type of understatement that uses negative words to express the contrary. Closeup view of old books side by side on bookshelf. If you want to understand the tools and techniques that great writers use, learn these literary devices and figures of speech. Figure of speech is a catchall phrase that refers to the literary devices used in figurative language. The transformation from ordinary speech to extraordinary speech, can be done with the use of a variety of figures of speech. Definition and examples of pun in speech and literature. Greetingcard rhymes, advertising slogans, newspaper headlines, the captions of. Literary devices, techniques and figures of speech reading passages both long and short include questions about the authors use of literary techniques and figures of speech tools authors use to convey meaning or to lend depth and richness to their writing.
It can be a metaphor or simile, designed to make a comparison. Literary devices in poems list, definitions, examples. The a to z of figures of speech with explanations and. What is the difference between a figure of speech and a. As a communication tool, figures of speech give color and life to the messages we wish to share with others. Sweet sorrow, deafening silence, and living death are common oxymorons. Review this vocabulary list and youll be a master of metaphor, an authority on alliteration, and a pro at puns. Figure of speech definition of figure of speech at. The literary element, onomatopoeia, is the the formation of a word by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent. It can be the repetition of alliteration or the exaggeration of hyperbole to provide a dramatic effect in truth, there are a wealth of these literary tools in the english language.
Superb reference work or one simply to browse for the pure enjoyment of wallowing in that other dimension that is figurative language. Litotes is a literary term for a figure of speech that uses negative terms to express a positive statement. Pun definition a pun is usually described as a play on words. There are typically 10 figures of speech that are used as poetic devices. Figures are also called images for in them one thing is represented in the image of another. In literary terms, the word denotes a fairly elaborate figure of speech, especially an extended comparison involving unlikely metaphors, similes, imagery, hyperbole, and oxymora. A figure of speech is a literary device in which language is used in an. Figure of speech definition is a form of expression such as a simile or metaphor used to convey meaning or heighten effect often by comparing or identifying one thing with another that has a meaning or connotation familiar to the reader or listener. The play on words here is the use of the word lost. Figure of speech, any intentional deviation from literal statement or. In this context, the antithesis is being used to point out the bad. That stuffed suit with the briefcase is a poor excuse for a salesman, the manager said angrily. A type of scheme is polysyndeton, the repeating of a. Forming an integral part of language, figures of speech are found in oral literatures as well as in polished poetry and prose and in everyday speech.
But sometimes, its nice to enhance the language a little, without having to say everything literally. Figure of speech is personal mannerism that pertains to conversations and styles of speakers. One of the most famous conceits is john donnes a valediction. A metaphor is the comparison of two unlike things without the use of like or as the boy was a wild animal in the toy store, for he reckless grabbed at every toy he saw. Henry peacham, for example, in his the garden of eloquence 1577, enumerated 184 different figures of speech. Figurative language is often associated with literature and with poetry in particular. Figure of speech, any intentional deviation from literal statement or common usage that emphasizes, clarifies, or embellishes both written and spoken language. A figure of speech is a poetic device which consists in the use of words and phrases in such a manner as to make the meaning more pointed and clear and the language more graphic and vivid.
Illustrates the common figures of speech in english, with definitions and examples from various spheres of real life as well as literature. Forbidding mourning, a poem in which donne compares two souls in love to the points on a geometers. Skilled writers know how to use figures of speech and other literary devices to provide more vivid descriptions and help readers to understand the feeling they want to convey. In the play hamlet, when hamlet responds to a question about what hes reading by saying words, words, words, thats an example of epizeuxis some additional key details about epizeuxis. Figures of speech are traditionally classified into schemes, which vary the ordinary sequence or pattern of words, and tropes, where words are made to carry a meaning other than what they ordinarily signify. Figure of speech is a phrase or word having different meanings than its literal meanings. Answers about literary devices and figures of speech. It is a very popular form of figure of speech and is used regularly. Figure of speech definition of figure of speech by.
A prayer for my daughter examples antonym examples aubade examples beautiful dreamer examples critical essay examples definition essay examples raining cats and dogs examples reflexive pronoun examples that way. Getting lost in a good book means the reader is so absorbed in the story that. Examples of figure of speech in a sentence, how to use it. A mode of expression in which words are used out of their literal meaning or out of their ordinary use. Figures of speech lend themselves particularly well to literature and poetry. When used as a literary device, allusion is usually used in order to reference a part of the text which appeared earlier on or another text for example an allusion to a book written by steven king. Some figures of speech can also be considered literary devices, such as metaphor, simile, and personification. A figure of speech is an expressive use of language such as a simile or a metaphor. We are now going to take a look at some examples of personification in a way that it is used in daily speech.
The following list contains 25 common literary techniques and figures of speech. The booklet includes analogy, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, understatement, personification, pun, idiom, oxymoron, irony, onomatopoeia, euphem. Reading a text without a basic understanding of literary devices makes for a superficial experience. We are now going to take a look at some examples of how allusion might be used in spoken language as a figure of speech. This figure of speech is used in the literature mostly to give the details of something. Literary devices in poems list, definitions, examples, common literary devices what are literary devices. A figure is a particular amount expressed as a number, especially a statistic. Definition and a list of figure of speech examples from literature. The phrase clear the air is an example of what figure of speech. A figure of speech is using language or words in ways that are beyond their literal interpretation. Figure of speech definition and examples litcharts.
Figures of speech include metaphors, similes, and personification in our everyday conversations, we often use. A figure of speech is a word or phrase that possesses a separate meaning from its. Figures of speech commonly used in literature neoenglish. Though there are hundreds of figures of speech, here well focus on 20 of the most common, with definitions and examples.
A pun is a manipulating word that has more than one meaning or that sounds like other words. In rhetoric, a figure of speech is a type of figurative language such as metaphor, irony, understatement, or anaphora that. Personification a figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes. Yoda, in star wars for instance, has a figure of speech defined by a osv grammar and does not necessarily use a figurative language.
Epizeuxis is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated in immediate succession, with no intervening words. Example referring to a car as wheels oxymoron a figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase. Figure of speech definition, any expressive use of language, as a metaphor, simile, personification, or antithesis, in which words are used in other than their literal sense, or in other than their ordinary locutions, in order to suggest a picture or image or for other special effect. A concise definition of figure of speech along with usage tips, an expanded explanation, and. A figure of speech or rhetorical figure is an intentional deviation from ordinary language, chosen to produce a rhetorical effect. Figure definition and meaning collins english dictionary. When used as a literary device, antithesis is designed to be used to sway the opinion of the reader or listener through the statement itself. It is a clever, witty form of figurative language which uses the words within a sentence to convey another meaning. Called tropes by some folks, figures of speech take meaning to another level to the figurative, beyond the literal, and come in all shapes and sizes.
All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players. An example of this comes once again from martin luther king when he said. A person can have a figure of speech using a language that is not figurative. Figure of speech definition of figure of speech by the. This book is an excellent summary of the major figures of speech, providing for each figure multiple examples from a wide range of the best literature, especially the bible and shakespeare. Figure of speech is the use of language to add richness to the literal meaning of words. Figure of speech literary terms flashcards quizlet. Figurative language figures of speech literary devices. A figure of speech is a word or phrase that possesses a separate meaning from its literal definition. Literature worksheets literary terms examples figure of speech. Pickwick took his hat and his leave is an example of zeugma domino effect the consequence of one.