Figures-of-Speech.howfiguresofspeechpptx

learn figures of speech

1. Figures of Speech and folklore

2. Things to Remember Folklore Figures of Speech Simile Metaphor Personification Hyperbole Irony Metonymy

3. Lesson Objectives Know and understand some of the figures of speech; and See some examples of these figures of speech.

4. Lesson Outlines Remember… A Quick Refresher Understand…

5. Remember… What is folklore? – the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through the generations by word of mouth – Oxford Languages – traditional customs, tales, sayings, dances, or art forms preserved among a people – Merriam-Webster – refers to traditional knowledge and beliefs which have usually been passed down by word of mouth – StudySmarter UK

6. Remember… What is figures of speech? – a word or phrase used in a non-literal sense for rhetorical or vivid effect – Oxford Languages – a form of expression (such as a simile or metaphor) used to convey meaning or heighten effect often by comparing or identifying one thing with another that has a meaning or connotation familiar to the reader or listener – Merriam-Webster – a word or phrase using figurative language—language that has other meaning than its normal definition – Literary Terms

7. A Quick Refresher Simile – According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, a simile is defined as “a word or phrase that compares something to something else, using the words like or as.” – The Cambridge Dictionary defines a simile as “an expression comparing one thing with another, always including the words as or like”. – “A simile is an expression which describes a person or thing as being similar to someone or something else”, according to the Collins Dictionary. – The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a simile as “a figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by like or as.”

8. Simile Similes using ‘as’ As slow as a sloth As busy as a bee As innocent as a lamb As proud as a peacock As fast as a cheetah Similes using ‘like’ Jumps like a frog Sings like a cuckoo Runs like the wind Nocturnal like an owl Have eyes like a hawk

9. A Quick Refresher Metaphor – According to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “an expression, often found in literature, that describes a person or object by referring to something that is considered to have similar characteristics to that person or object.” – According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, a metaphor is defined as “a word or phrase used to describe somebody/something else, in a way that is different from its normal use, in order to show that the two things have the same qualities and to make the description more powerful.” – Collins Dictionary defines a metaphor as “an imaginative way of describing something by referring to something else which is the same in a particular way”, and according to – Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a metaphor is “a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them.”

10. Metaphor Examples of Metaphors My mom has a heart of gold. My friend’s sister, Sharon, is a night owl. My hands were icicles because of the cold weather.

11. A Quick Refresher Personification – Personification, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “the practice of representing objects, qualities, etc. as humans, in art and literature; an object, quality, etc. that is represented in this way.” – The Cambridge Dictionary defines personification as “the act of giving a human quality or characteristic to something which is not human.” – According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, personification is defined as the “representation of a thing or abstraction as a person or by the human form.” – Personification is defined as “the attribution of human characteristics to things, abstract ideas, etc., as for literary or artistic effect”, and “the representation of an abstract quality or idea in the form of a person, creature, etc., as in art and literature”, according to the Collins Dictionary.

12. Personification Examples of Personification The sun kissed me while I was clicking a picture. The flowers danced to the wind. My clothes stood so erect as if someone had ordered them to stay in attention, as soon as I had ironed them. I felt like the food kept calling me. The stars were sparkling and winking at all of us.

13. A Quick Refresher Hyperbole – The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines a hyperbole as “a way of speaking or writing that makes something sound better, more exciting, more dangerous, etc. than it really is”. – According to the Collins Dictionary, a hyperbole is an expression that is used to “say or write things that make something sound much more impressive than it really is”.

14. Hyperbole Examples of Hyperbole When she did the flips at the dance, she landed as light as a feather. I am so hungry I could eat all the food here. My brother said that he had a million things to do when he was actually sitting idly. Amrita carried home a ton of papers that she had to grade before Friday. Rory went on forever about the city she lived in.

15. A Quick Refresher Irony – The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines the term ‘irony’ as “the use of words that say the opposite of what you really mean, often as a joke and with a tone of voice that shows this”. – According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, irony is defined as “the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning.” – According to the Collins Dictionary, irony is “a subtle form of humor which involves saying things that you do not mean”. – The Cambridge Dictionary defines irony as “the use of words that are the opposite of what you mean, as a way of being funny”. – There are three different main types of irony.

16. Dramatic Irony Dramatic irony is the type in which one or more characters in a story or a play is given no idea of a very important piece of information that would alter their lives and also change the course of the plot completely. Dramatic irony keeps the readers excited and sustains the interest in the happenings of the story. It lets the audience have sympathy for the characters in the story, instils fear in them and builds suspense. In simple terms, when dramatic irony is employed, the audience knows something that the characters have not yet found out or understood. William Shakespeare is known widely for the use of dramatic irony in most of his tragic plays. Christopher Marlowe, Jane Austen, Jonathan Swift and Thomas Hardy are some of the writers who made effective use of dramatic irony in their writings.

17. Situational Irony Situational irony is the one in which the events in the story or play give the readers a result that is different from what they had been expecting to occur. This type of irony puts the protagonist of the story/play in a situation that demands a heavy price in order to get to their goal. It also aids in creating a ‘twist’. Who doesn’t like a good twist, right? This situation would push the character to a whole new level. It can also be used to communicate an intended message or moral to the audience. O. Henry, Kate Chopin, Christopher Marlowe, Jane Austen, William Shakespeare and Guy de Maupassant are some of the writers who made good use of situational irony in their works.

18. Verbal Irony Verbal irony is when the author has put the characters’ lines in such a way that the intended meaning is the exact opposite of what is being said. Unlike the other two types of irony, when verbal irony is used, the character knows the truth but uses irony intentionally in a sarcastic manner to reveal the hidden truth. Jonathan Swift, William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Edgar Allen Poe and George Bernard Shaw are known for the use of verbal irony in their works.

19. Dramatic Irony – Example In the movie Maleficent, you see Aurora going back to find Maleficent, the witch who cursed her when she was born, and developing a loving relationship with her. She, however, leaves her to go see her father and ends up in the dungeon pricking her finger on the needle and falling to eternal sleep, thereby fulfilling the curse. The whole time, the audience knows about all this and all of these events can be said to bring the effect of dramatic irony in the movie.

20. Situational Irony – Example ‘The Gift of the Magi’ by O. Henry has an apt example of situational irony. The characters in the story – the husband and wife are seen to sell off their priced possessions in order to get the other a gift they would love. They, however, end up buying gifts that both of them can no longer use.

21. Verbal Irony – Example In the novel, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen, Darcy’s first impression of Elizabeth Bennet was contrary to the final outcome, hence making it an instance of verbal irony. He says, “She is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me”, but ends up loving and marrying her in the end.

22. A Quick Refresher Metonymy – According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, the term ‘metonymy’ is defined as “the act of referring to something by the name of something else that is closely connected with it.” – According to the Collins Dictionary, it is defined as “the substitution of a word referring to an attribute for the thing that is meant”. – The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines metonymy as “a figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated”. – According to the Macmillan Dictionary, metonymy is “the use of a word or phrase, when you refer to something using the name of something else that it is closely related to”.

23. Metonymy Examples of Metonymy “The pen is mightier than the sword.” The above sentence should be very familiar to you. It is from ‘Cardinal Richelieu’, a play by Edward Bulwer Lytton. The words – ‘pen’ and ‘sword’ contribute to the effect of metonymy. The two words are not used in a literal sense. On the contrary, the term ‘pen’ refers to written words and the term ‘sword’ refers to military aggression. Everyone should pledge their allegiance to the crown. The ‘crown’ here refers to the ruler – the king or queen and not literally the object.

24. Understand… Figures of speech are what give these folklores deeper meaning. It is how they are timeless as some of the phrases we use in our daily lives are figures of speech, some may even have originated from these folklores.

25. How does it do it help? As we have discussed in the past, folklore serves 4 primary functions. These figures of speech help in establishing these functions.

26. How does it do it help? Provides an Escape – Depending on the story being told in the folktale it could use the figures of speech to describe the fantastical. It may even be used to describe its absurdity too.

27. How does it do it help? Validates and Justifies the Culture – The choice of words used on a folktale is based upon how the people within that group. It may have been used to share their way of life to others outside of the group, or it could even be an inside joke that only those who are part of the group.

28. How does it do it help? Teaching Device – Words or phrases with the help of figures of speech can be used to educate people. Whether its through comparing an animal to that of a person, or if its through the exaggeration of an idea, that knowledge is spread to be used by others.

29. How does it do it help? Provides Social Control – By using figures of speech ideas and knowledge can be passed around the group. Whether it is good or bad it nevertheless can be used to control the group to push them towards a certain goal.

30. THAT IS ALL! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!