8th Grade Figurative Language
symbolism
an object representing something else or another idea entirely, giving the object much more significance than it would have otherwise Ex: chain representing unity
allusion
brief, indirect reference; does not directly describe person/thing to which it refers Ex: He thinks he's such a Casanova! This makes reference to Casanova, but if you don't know who he is, the rest doesn't make sense.
oxymoron
combination of two contradictory words Ex: jumbo shrimp
paradox
contradictory action/situation/ideas Ex: freedom is slavery
juxtapostion
contrast between concepts Ex. All's fair in love and war; When it rains, it pours; What's good for the goose is good for the gander
antithesis
contrasting concepts, words, sentences with parallel grammar structure Ex. Muhammad Ali's quote, "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Structure stays the same (verb + like + insect), but ideas are very different
imagery
descriptive language that appeals to/describes any of the five senses Ex. She whiffed the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
assonance
epetition of same vowel sound Ex. Twilight meets twice at edge of night
hyperbole
extreme exaggeration not meant to be taken literally Ex. I ate a ton of pizza
idiom
figure of speech in which actual words have much different meaning than how they are interpreted Ex: It's raining cats and dogs
metaphor
figure of speech using that compares two unlike things without using like or as Ex: Her eyes were sapphires.
litotes
form of understatement where positive statement is expressed by negative statement Ex. Not Bad instead of Good
personification
human characteristics given to a nonhuman character Ex: The wind whispered through the trees
understatement
minimizes the significance of something Ex. unbearable temperature of 100 degrees being referred to as "a little warm"
pun
play on words in which a humorous effect is created by using a word that suggests two or more meanings Ex. A horse is a stable animal; A happy life depends on a liver
synecdoche
refers to whole of a thing by any of its parts; not to be confused with metonymy Ex. calling a car "wheels"
consonance
repetition of inner (not at beginning) or ending consonant sound Ex. Norm the worm took the garden by storm this morn
alliteration
repetition of same initial consonant sound Ex: better bit of butter
anaphora
repetition of word or phrase at beginning of consecutive sentences or verses Ex. Martin Luther King Jr. "I Have a Dream" speech repeating "I have a dream"
euphemism
replacement of word/phrase by something less offensive Ex: Garbage Man vs. Sanitation Technician
adage
short, memorable saying that is based on facts Ex: appearance is often deceiving; call a spade a spade
chiasmus
two or more clauses balanced against each other by reversal of structure Ex. Love the life you live, and live a life of love
simile
uses like or as to make a comparison between unlike things Ex: Her eyes were like sapphires.
onomatopoeia
word made from the sound it makes Ex: the screech of tires
metonymy
word used to describe a thing that it is related to, but is not part of it Ex: "crown" refers to power in replacement of king/queen (however, crown is not part of a king or queen)
irony
words intentionally used to indicate meaning other than literal Verbal: words; Situational: difference in expected and what actually occurs; Dramatic: audience is more aware of what is happening than character
apostrophe
writer/speaker detaches from reality and addresses imaginary or abstract character/object Ex. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
