Figurative Language versus Literal Language

Figurative Language versus Literal Language

Introduction

It has been observed that most of the students find themselves uncomfortable with figurative language, as it contains number of complex description, which is not easy to catch by the reader. The question comes what is literal and figurative language? The literal language portrays the exact meaning what is written in the description, while on other hand, figurative language uses metaphors, similes, personification and hyperbole, for creating some imaginative look and often describing via comparison with something totally irrelevant.

Idiom

Idiom is a speech or group of words that produce an expression which cannot be understood grammatically from the individual meanings of its elements. Idioms are famous for being non predictive and containing no simple meaning, until or unless we have learned that idiomatic expression.

For example

It was raining heavily. (Simple way)

It was raining cats and dogs. (Idiom)

She is born in a very rich family. (Simple way)

She is born with a silver spoon in her mouth. . (Idiom)

Analogy

In the discipline of linguistic, analogy is the process by which the morphemes or words are created or re-formed on the model of existing grammatical patterns in a language. For instance, the verb Help was previously referred as Holp and Holpen. Analogy also used as the textual or spoken comparison between two words or sentences, for highlighting some form of relating similarity among them.

For example

You are as annoying as nails on a chalkboard. You must be pretty annoying for someone to say that. (Analogy)

The relationship between them began to thaw. This means that the relationship was altering. (Analogy)

Metaphor

It is the figure of speech that can be word or a phrase, which ordinarily indicates one thing to designate another, by making indirect comparison.

For example

Sand feels rough. (Simple way)

Sand is solid water. (metaphor)

He is entirely insensitive. (simple way)

He has a ...