Figurative Language
Figurative language is defined as an intentional departure from the normal order, construction, or meaning of words. It is meant to be interpreted imaginatively, not literally.
The following are examples of figurative language devices:
Simile: A comparison of two unlike things using the words “like” or “as.” Example – My love is like the sun.
Metaphor: A direct comparison saying something is something else. Example – My love is the sun.
Onomatopoeia: Words whose sounds suggest their meaning. Examples – buzz, hiss, pop. This is often used in children’s literature to enhance readability and engagement.
Hyperbole: Extreme exaggeration for dramatic effect or humor. Example – This is the best cookie in the universe.
Alliteration: The repetition of an initial consonant sound in two or more words in a phrase that are picked to enhance meaning. This is also often used in children’s literature to enhance readability and engagement. Example – The bouncing, baby boy beamed with excitement.
Idiom: Language that can’t be interpreted literally. Idioms do not translate into other languages. Example – I’m so hungry that I could eat a horse.
Personification: Giving human qualities or characteristics to inanimate objects. Personification is not usually used in contemporary realistic fiction. Example – Death walked up to the old man and said, “It is not yet your time.”
