Figurative Language versus Literal Language - Essay Example

According to the paper examples of idioms are “it is raining cats and dogs” meaning heavy rain, and “he is on the wagon” meaning that the person is not partaking of alcoholic drinks. This kind of language should be used with care when addressing non-native speakers of English. An analogy is a comparison of one idea with another. It usually finds a simple idea and uses it to explain the meaning of a more complex idea. An example of an analogy is the statement that “punctuation marks are the traffic signals of language”.

By likening commas and full stops to traffic signs, the writer illuminates the concept of writing in terms of an extended comparison with driving along a street. A metaphor also compares two things or ideas, but it does so in such a way that they are merged into the one concept. An example is seen in the phrase “he is a pig”. If this phrase refers to the farmyard animal then it is a literal statement. If it refers to a human being then it is a rather insulting metaphor which suggests the person has bad manners and is greedy or self-indulgent in other ways.

From this study, it is clear that a simile is another way of comparing one thing with another in a piece of writing. It is not the same as a metaphor because in the case of a simile the two ideas are compared using the words “like” or “as.” An example of a simile can be found in the nursery rhyme phrase: “its fleece was white as snow.” The comparison of a sheep’s coat with snow emphasizes how pure and white it is and makes for a much more interesting description than just a statement of the white color on its own.

The term cliché is borrowed from the French. It refers to a phrase which may have originally been quite memorable, but which has been overused to the point where it has become almost meaningless.