Figurative vs Literal Language

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Running Head: FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE VERSUS LITERAL LANGUAGE A figure of speech is a word picture. It can be a comparison between two objects, people or events to highlight shared qualities between the two. Additionally, figures of speech can be exaggerations or ironies. Sometimes words are used in context to mean the opposite of their literal meaning. Literal language is straightforward speech where words are interpreted according to their normal, dictionary definition. Listed below are ten types of figurative language. Idiom Idioms are groups of words whose meaning is different from the ordinary meaning of the words. The context can help you understand what an idiom means. For example: "Put a lid on it." Our teacher tells us to put a lid on it. She's not really telling us to put a lid on something but to be quiet and pay attention. "People use idioms to make their language richer and more colorful and to convey subtle shades of meaning or intention. Idioms are used often to replace a literal word or expression, and many times the idiom better describes the full nuance of meaning. Analogy An analogy is a likeness or a comparison between two things that have some features that are the same and others which are different. For example a Model T Ford and a Volkswagen are both cars, have four wheels, and run on gasoline so comparing them would be an example of an analogy. Sentence: The car dealer is doing an analogy of the Model T Ford and the Volkswagen bug. The function of an analogy is comparison between two different things in order to highlight

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