Figurative Language vs. Literal Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Figurative Language vs. Literal Language - Essay Example According to Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language, in figurative language â€Å"figures of speech such as metaphors and similes freely occur...they are regarded as embellishments that deviate from the ‘ordinary’ uses of language.† On the other hand, literal language â€Å"suggests the influence of the letter as a measure of strictness and rightness... If something is done literally, a person follows instructions ‘to the letter’, without flexibility or imagination.† (1998) It is common for people to misuse or overly use figurative words in written or spoken language. Consequently, the minds of the readers or listeners start focussing on the language, rather than what it implies. Thus, it hinders the productivity of the thought process by engaging the mind to concentrate on words, or phrases rather than their meanings in a particular context. Following is an attempt to define the meanings and functions of a few words according to Oxford Reference Online that are often used interchangeably in different contexts. 2.Idiom â€Å"A phrase or grammatical construction that cannot be translated literally into another language because it’s meaning is not equivalent to that of its component words. † A simple idiom like ‘bring home the bacon’ means to earn money or success or profit. Consider the confusion it makes in contexts like: We planned to host a sumptuous dinner on Thanksgiving. I decided to prepare a delicious sweet potato, bacon and pomegranate salad, and bacon-roasted turkey. Everyone was looking forward to Thanksgiving as the year had been really tough and both, John and I had to work really hard to bring home the bacon. ... (Vega-Moreno, 2007, p.189) 3. Amphiboly Amphiboly is a â€Å"kind of ambiguity in which the linguistic context allows an expression to be taken in more than one way. There are several types, and writers differ over which to include out of: ambiguous grouping or scope.†2 Consider this statement: I wanted to become a fashion model for eight years. This statement is ambiguous because it implies two meanings: I have wanted for the past eight years to become a fashion model; or I want to be a fashion model for only eight years. 4. Analogy Analogy is the â€Å"respect in which one thing is similar to another. Arguing by analogy is arguing that since things are alike in some ways, they will probably be alike in others.†3 In debates or arguments, analogy is used to prove that if A is equal to B, and if B is equal to C, then by analogy, A is equal to C. While such inference might be true in mathematical domains, it is likely to generalize facts and thus obstruct critical thinkin g. 5. â€Å"Flame-word† Flame words are words that convey expressions like anger, fury, hatred, insults etc. As such words carry emotional meanings; therefore they carry compound impressions. For example: May you burn a million years in hell is based upon figurative language. 6. Metaphor â€Å"The most important figure of speech, in which one subject-matter (sometimes called the tenor) is referred to by a term or sentence (the vehicle), that does not literally describe it: the ship of state, the light of faith, etc.†4 â€Å"...consider the thematic similarity among the metaphoric expressions that are used to describe a love relationship in this fictitious â€Å"break-up† speech: Dearest, we’ve come a long way since we first met, but