FIGURES OF SPEECH

(1) Figures of resemblance or relationship (e.g., simile, metaphor,

kenning, conceit, parallelism, personification, metonymy, synecdoche, and

SIMILE

In simile two unlike things are explicitly compared. For example, “She

is like a fairy”. A simile is introduced by words such as like, so, as

etc.

METAPHOR

It is an informal or implied simile in which words like, as, so are

omitted. For example, “He is like a lion (Simile) “and “He is a lion

(metaphor)”.A metaphor states that one thing is another thing. It

equates those two things not because they actually are the same, but

for the sake of comparison or symbolism.

PERSONIFICATION

Personification (Latin, persona, a mask, person) is the attributing of life

and personal qualities to feelings, abstract ideas, or things without life.

The use of human characteristics to describe animals, things, or ideas.

METONYMY

Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is referred

to by the name of something closely associated with that thing or

concept.

SYNECDOCHE

Synecdoche is the understanding of one thing by means of another.

Here, a part is used to designate the whole or the whole to designate

hands (crew) at work.”

EUPHEMISM

A euphemism is an innocuous word or expression used in place of one

that may be found offensive or suggest something unpleasant. Some

euphemisms are intended to amuse, while others use bland, inoffensive

terms for concepts that the user wishes to downplay.

EPITHET

Epithet is a descriptive literary device that describes a place, a thing,

or a person in such a way that it helps in making its characteristics

more prominent than they actually are.

PARALLELISM

Parallelism is the use of components in a sentence that are

grammatically the same; or similar in their construction, sound,

meaning, or meter. Parallelism examples are found in literary works as

well as in ordinary conversations. Phrase repititions in commas.

(2) figures of emphasis or understatement (e.g., hyperbole, litotes,

rhetorical question, antithesis, climax, bathos, paradox, oxymoron, and

EPIGRAM

It is a brief pointed saying. It couples words which apparently

contradict each other. The language of the epigram is remarkable for

its brevity.

HYPERBOLE

Hyperbole is a statement made emphatic by overstatement that involves

an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis.

Opposite of hyperbole, employs an understatement by using double

negatives or, in other words, a positive statement expressed by

negating its opposite expressions.

ANTITHESIS

In antithesis, a striking opposition or contrast of words is made in the

same sentence in order to secure emphasis.

RHETORICAL QUESTION

A rhetorical question is one for which the questioner does not expect a

direct answer: in many cases it may be intended to start a discourse,

or as a means of putting across the speaker's or author's opinion on a

topic.

OXYMORON

Oxymoron is a figure of speech pairing two words together that are

opposing and/or contradictory. As a literary device, oxymoron has the

effect of creating an impression, enhancing a concept, and even

entertaining the reader.

CLIMAX

It is an arrangement of a series of ideas in the order of increasing

importance.

Climax has the effect of building excitement and anticipation.

PARADOX

It is an enlarged form of oxymoron.A paradox is a figure of speech in

which a statement appears to contradict itself. This term comes from

the Greek paradoxa, meaning "incredible, contrary to opinion or

expectation.
ANTICLIMAX OR BATHOS

This is the opposite to climax and signifies a ludicrous descent from

the higher to the lower. Creates an unintentional lapse in mood from

the sublime to the trivial or ridiculous.

IRONY OR SARCASM

Irony is a figure of speech in which there is a contradiction of

expectation between what is said and what is really meant. It is

characterized by an incongruity, a contrast, between reality and

appearance. There are three types of irony: verbal, dramatic and

situational. Mainly used for humour.

TAUTOLOGY OR PLEONASM

Tautology is meant for repeating the same fact or idea in different

words. Usage or combing the power of two of power synonyms to

describe anything. Makes a clear impression

(3) figures of sound (e.g., alliteration, repetition, anaphora, and

onomatopoeia);

ALLITERATION

The repetition of the same letter or syllable at the beginning of two or

more words is called alliteration.

REPETITION

Repetition is a literary device that repeats the same words or phrases

a few times to make an idea clearer and more memorable.

ANAPHORA

In writing or speech, the deliberate repetition of the first part of the

sentence in order to achieve an artistic effect is known as Anaphora.

Epiphora is the couterpart to anaphora it is a stylistic device in which

a word or a phrase is repeated at the ends of successive clauses.

ONOMATOPOEIA

Onomatopoeia, is defined as a word which imitates the natural sounds

of a thing. It creates a sound effect that mimics the thing described,

making the description more expressive and interesting.

(4) verbal games and gymnastics (e.g., pun and anagram);

HOMOPHONES

Homophones are words that are spelled differently yet have the same

(or very similar) pronunciation. Mainly used to create confusion in

puns.

ANAGRAM

Anagram is a form of word play in which letters of a word or phrase

are rearranged in such a way that a new word or phrase is formed. In

a sense the word actually makes sense.

PUN

A pun is a play on words that produces a humorous effect by using a

word that suggests two or more meanings, or by exploiting similar

sounding words that have different meanings. Humorous effects created

by puns depend upon the ambiguities the words entail.

MALAPROPISM

A malapropism is the mistaken use of an incorrect word in place of a

word with a similar sound, resulting in a nonsensical, sometimes

humorous utterance.

CIRCUMLOCUTION

This consists of expressing some fact or idea in a confusing roundabout

way, instead of stating it at once. It is when the user is unable to

find the correct direct words or is not using them to avoid the direct

meaning of the context.

SPOONERISM OR PERIPHRASIS

A spoonerism is an error in speech in which corresponding consonants,

vowels, or morphemes are switched between two words in a phrase.

FALLACY

A fallacy is an erroneous argument dependent upon an unsound or

illogical contention. There are many fallacy examples that we can find

in everyday conversations.

(6) outside reference for legitimate belief of information

ETHOS

Ethos (sometimes called an appeal to ethics), then, is used as a means

of convincing an audience via the authority or credibility of the

persuader, be it a notable or experienced figure in the field or even a

popular celebrity.

PATHOS
Pathos (appeal to emotion) is a way of convincing an audience of an

argument by creating an emotional response to an impassioned plea or

a convincing story.

LOGOS

Logos (appeal to logic) is a way of persuading an audience with reason,

using facts and figures.

ALLUSION

Allusion is a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or

idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance. It does not

describe in detail the person or thing to which it refers.

COLLOQUIALISM

colloquialism is the use of informal words, phrases, or even slang in a

piece of writing. Colloquial expressions tend to sneak in as writers,

being part of a society, are influenced by the way people speak in that

society.

ARCHAISM

Outdated words used in classic , not used in modern language.

ANACHRONISM

Error of chronology in timeline, sometime made to ease out meanings

for the reader.

FLASH FORWARD

Prolepsis is a literary device in which the plot goes ahead of time;

meaning a scene that interrupts and takes the narrative forward in

time from the current time in the story.

FLASHBACK

Analepsis is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time

from the current point in the story. Flashbacks are often used to

recount events