Avoid figurative language devices
Practical Tips for Clear and Direct Communication
See also, Clarity and style.
Figurative language refers to a wide range of literary devices and techniques.
Similes vs. Metaphors:
Simile: A simile compares two different things using the words “like” or “as”. Example: “Her smile was as bright as the sun.”
Metaphor: A metaphor also compares two different things but does so directly, without using “like” or “as”. Example: “Time is a thief.”
Personification vs. Anthropomorphism:
Personification: Assigning human characteristics to non-human entities or inanimate objects. Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
Anthropomorphism: Attributing human characteristics to animals or non-human beings, often in a narrative context. Example: In “Animal Farm,” the animals talk and behave like humans.
Onomatopoeia: Words that imitate the sound they represent. Example: “The bees buzzed in the garden.”
Oxymoron: A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms. Example: “Bittersweet.”
Hyperbole: Exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally. Example: “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”
Allusion: An indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance. Example: “He was a real Romeo with the ladies.”
Idiom: A phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements. Example: “It’s raining cats and dogs.”
Imagery: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses. Example: “The golden, crispy leaves crunched underfoot.”
Symbolism: Using symbols to represent ideas or qualities. Example: In literature, a dove often symbolizes peace.
Alliteration: Repetition of the same sound at the beginning of adjacent or intricately connected words. Example: “Susy sells seashells by the seashore.”
Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds within words close to each other. Example: “The light of the fire is a sight.”
Consonance: Repetition of consonant sounds, typically at the end of words. Example: “The ship has sailed to the far off shores.”
Metonymy: Substituting the name of an attribute or feature for the name of the thing itself. Example: “The White House announced new policies.”
Synecdoche: A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole, or the whole for a part. Example: “All hands on deck.”
Irony: Expressing meaning by using language that typically signifies the opposite, often for humorous or emphatic effect. Example: A fire station burns down.
Sarcasm: The use of irony to mock or convey contempt. Example: “Great, another rainy day,” said when someone is disappointed about the weather.
Litotes: An understatement in which the negative of its contrary expresses an affirmative. Example: “He’s not the worst singer.”
Pun: A joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word. Example: “I used to be a baker, but I couldn’t make enough dough.”
Anaphora: The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. Example: “Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better.”
Tautology: A statement that repeats itself redundantly and unnecessarily. Example: “Free gift.”
Understatement: Presenting something as being smaller or less important than it actually is. Example: “It’s just a scratch,” referring to a large dent on a car.
Takeaway
The opposite of figurative language is literal language, which is language with little-to-no imagination or exaggeration. Creative writing employs rich examples of figurative language to communicate better meaning while. When writing poetry, for instance, stick to (a metaphor) primarily figurative language.😀
Writing an academic text is best when language is literal
My suggestion would be to find examples of each of the following literary devices listed above and begin to practice matching each to their respective type: simile, metaphor, personification, onomatopoeia, oxymoron, hyperbole, allusion, idiom, imagery, symbolism, alliteration, assonance, consonance, metonymy, synecdoche, irony, sarcasm, litotes, pun, anaphora, tautology, and understatement.