Figurative Speaking Essay

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Literal and figurative language is a distinction in traditional systems for analyzing language. Literal language refers to words that do not deviate from their defined meaning. Figurative language refers to words, and groups of words, that exaggerate or alter the usual meanings of the component words. Figurative language may involve analogy to similar concepts or other contexts, and may involve exaggerations. These alterations result in figures of speech. figure of speech is a use of a word that diverges from its normal meaning, or a phrase with a specialized meaning not based on the literal meaning of the words in it such as a metaphor, simile, or personification. Figures of speech often provide emphasis, freshness of expression, or clarity. However, clarity may also suffer from their use, as any figure of speech introduces an ambiguity between literal and figurative interpretation. A figure of speech is sometimes called a rhetoric or a locution. The saying "I got your back" almost never has the literal meaning of receipt or possession of another's spine. It is a figure of speech that means the speaker intends to protect the listener, actually or symbolically. It originates from war, in which one soldier informs another that the first will train his weapon toward an area from which an enemy might shoot the second in the back. Other examples of figures of speech: · "It's raining cats and dogs" means it's raining intensely. · "I'll give you a piece of my mind" means the speaker will state a frank opinion. · "Break a leg" is a saying from theatre meaning "Good luck." · "Butterflies in your stomach" figuratively describes nervousness. · "You want a piece of me?" means "Do you want a fight?" · "You're climbing the ladder to success!" means "You are doing a decent job at trying to achieve success." In each of these examples of figures of speech, there is a
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