Definition and Function of Figurative Language

1. Simile

• Definition: A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two different things using the words “like” or “as.”
• Function: Similes make descriptions more vivid by highlighting similarities between two different things. They create a mental image that is easily relatable to the reader.
• Example: “Her smile was as bright as the sun.”

2. Metaphor

• Definition: A metaphor is a figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unlike things by stating one thing is another.
• Function: Metaphors enhance understanding by equating two distinct things, making the abstract concrete and vivid.
• Example: “Time is a thief.”

3. Allusion

• Definition: An allusion is a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.
• Function: Allusions create deeper connections and understanding by drawing upon the reader’s knowledge of the referenced subject.
• Example: “He met his Waterloo.”

4. Personification

• Definition: Personification is a figure of speech in which non-human objects or abstract concepts are given human qualities or behaviours.
• Function: Personification helps in creating vivid imagery and emotional resonance by making the non-human relatable.
• Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”

5. Pun

• Definition: A pun is a form of wordplay that exploits multiple meanings of a term or similar-sounding words for a humorous or rhetorical effect.
• Function: Puns add humour and wit to writing, often making it more memorable.
• Example: “A bicycle can’t stand on its own because it is two-tired.”

6. Alliteration

• Definition: Alliteration is the repetition of the initial consonant sounds of words close to each other in a sentence.
• Function: Alliteration creates rhythm and mood, often emphasizing particular words and making them more memorable.
• Example: “She sells sea shells by the seashore.”

7. Antithesis

• Definition: Antithesis is a figure of speech that juxtaposes two contrasting or opposite ideas in a sentence.
• Function: Antithesis emphasizes the difference between the two ideas and adds contrast, making the statement more powerful.
• Example: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

8. Climax

• Definition: Climax in rhetoric is the arrangement of words, phrases, or clauses in order of increasing importance or intensity.
• Function: Climax builds tension and highlights the progression of thought or action in the narrative.
• Example: “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

9. Assonance

• Definition: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words, particularly in stressed syllables.
• Function: Assonance enhances the musical quality of the text and can affect the mood or tone of a piece.
• Example: “The early bird catches the worm.”