Figurative Language versus Literal Language Essay - 5

Figurative Language versus Literal Language - Essay Example Idioms are words, phrases, or expressions that are unable to be taken literally, nor should they ever be. â€Å"A slap on the wrist† is an example of an idiom. Literally, this idiom means to slap someone on the wrist. When taken in its figurative context, as it is intended to be, the idiom means that someone has received a mild punishment. â€Å"A slap on the wrist† is an appropriate phrase when describing someone who was caught doing something bad, yet did not face any real consequences for their actions. It can be misunderstood if the individual does not first make it known that someone had been caught engaging in some form of misconduct. An analogy is when two completely unlike things are compared to make a concept more understandable. An analogy aids someone in understanding something new by comparing it to something that they are familiar with. â€Å"I am as graceful as a refrigerator falling down a flight of stairs (Turner, 1998)† is an analogy. This analogy can be used to help someone visualize how ungraceful another person is. A refrigerator would crash down a flight of stairs, so this analogy can describe a significant lack of grace. This analogy can lead to an understanding if it is believed that an individual will literally crash and tumble down a flight of stairs. A metaphor is when two distinctive things that share a similarity are compared. Metaphors help to intensify the meaning of something. â€Å"Time is a thief† is an example of a metaphor. Time does not literally rob, but this metaphor implies that time takes away from people. An appropriate circumstance in which to use this metaphor is in describing a passage of time as a child grows up. Time, as a thief, stole the childhood of that individual as she entered young adulthood. This metaphor can be misleading if it is used out of context and a passage of time is not being considered. A simile consists of the