Figures of Speech | Similes and Metaphors 🍂

A figure of speech is a word or phrase that means something more or something other than it seems to say. It is the opposite of a literal expression. A figure of speech is a word or phrase which is used to describe something in a non-literal sense. They are used to explain things in a more artistic sense while speaking, or writing.

Now there are so many figures of speech that can be used... as there are many ways words can be twisted or painted to make it more fun and artistic. However, we will only be considering the most popular or most common ones. The first two are; similes and metaphors

A simile is a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid (e.g. She is as brave as a lion ).

A metaphor on the other hand, is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable (e.g. Sara is a lion). NB: When using metaphors, listeners have to listen for the right characteristic or message the writer or speaker is trying to say, so there isn't a miscommunication. This is particularly important because unlike similes that mention the particular characteristic being referred to, metaphors do not. For example, Lions are known to be brave. Hence, the speaker is trying to say that Sara is a brave person, not that she looks like a lion or has a mane like lions do.