Incredible Writing Fun With… Figures of Speech

You GET TO create a story using the following figures of speech… litote, hyperbole, colloquialism, alliteration, invective, repetition, logos, ethos, pathos

What is the difference between… But first… What is the difference between… Literal and Figurative language?

Literal means… The actual, dictionary meaning of a word; language that means what it appears to mean (AKA DENOTATION_) Avoiding exaggeration, metaphor, or embellishment Conforming to the most obvious meaning of a word, phrase, sentence, or story

It means exactly what it says! Word for word. In other words… It means exactly what it says! Word for word. Example One: The U.S. is a large country. What does it mean? Exactly what it says! Example Two: The weather is beautiful today.

Figurative means… Language that goes beyond the normal meaning of the words used Based on or making use of figures of speech; metaphorical Represented by a figure or symbol AKA CONNOTATION

Figure it out! There’s a deeper meaning hidden in the words. In other words… Figure it out! There’s a deeper meaning hidden in the words. Example: Fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose. -Hada Bejar Does it mean you have a smelly hand? NO! What does it mean? Giving to others is gracious and the good feeling of giving stays with you.

Read between the lines because not everything is as it appears. So… Read between the lines because not everything is as it appears.

Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together as I proudly present to you, the essential… Figures of Speech!

Litotes an understated statement of an affirmative by using a negative description. A discreet way of saying something unpleasant without: “I'm not feeling bad,” or “he's definitely not a rocket scientist.”

Here’s how you do it…. This is no small problem. Litotes Here’s how you do it…. This is no small problem. really means… This is a big problem. 1. The opposite of big is small. 2. Negate small by adding not or no. 3. Restructure your sentence. becomes…

4. Hyperbole A FIGURE OF SPEECH in which an exaggeration or overstatement is made to illustrate a point.

For example… I’m so hungry I could eat a horse! Hyperbole For example… I’m so hungry I could eat a horse! and Ten thousand suns light up this room. Does this mean I could actually eat an entire horse or that this room is blindingly bright from actual suns? Of course not! A ridiculous image is being painted in our minds to get the significance and importance of the point across.

What is the meaning of this…? Hyperbole What is the meaning of this…? I’m so hungry I could eat a horse! and Ten thousand suns light up this room. The first obviously means that I am extremely hungry but in no way could I eat a 400 pound horse! The second clearly means that our room is extremely bright but in no way will we be blinded by it!

What is the meaning of this…? Hyperbole What is the meaning of this…? I’m so hungry I could eat a horse! and Ten thousand suns light up this room. These are both exaggerations to illustrate a point.

Here are a few humorous hyperboles: Hyperbole can be funny…! Here are a few humorous hyperboles: “My sister uses so much makeup, she broke a chisel trying to get it off last night!” Johnny, Baton Rouge, LA “My teacher is so old, they’ve already nailed the coffin shut.” Michelle S., Knoxville, TN “My dog is so ugly, you can’t tell if he’s coming or going.” Ashley Brosseau “Your sister is so skinny, she has to run around in the shower to get wet!” Cliff, Richmond, CA

Colloquialism expressions that tend to ‘sneak’ in as writers, being part of a society, are influenced by the way people speak in that society. Naturally, they are bound to add colloquial expressions in their vocabulary. However, writers use such expressions intentionally too as it gives their works a sense of realism. For instance, in a fiction story depicting American society, a greeting “what’s up?” or even, “whatzup!?!”, or “Howdy.” between friends, which seems more real and appropriate than the formal “How are you?” and “How do you do?”

Antithesis is used when the writer employs two sentences of contrasting meanings in close proximity to one another. Whether they are words or phrases of the same sentence, an antithesis is used to create a stark contrast using two divergent elements that come together to create one uniform whole.

An antithesis plays on the complementary property of opposites to create one vivid picture. The purpose of using an antithesis in literature is to create a balance between opposite qualities and lend a greater insight into the subject. Example: When Neil Armstrong walked on the moon it might have been “one small step for a man” but it was “one giant leap for mankind”.

“one giant leap for mankind”. “one small step for a man”

Alliteration is a literary device where words are used in quick succession and begin with letters belonging to the same sound group. Whether it is the consonant sound or a specific vowel group, the alliteration involves creating a repetition of similar sounds in the sentence. Alliterations are also created when the words all begin with the same letter. Alliterations are used to add character to the writing and often add an element of ‘Childlike FUN’ to the piece. Example: The Wicked Witch of the West went her own way. (The ‘W’ sound is highlighted and repeated throughout the sentence.)

Invective denotes speech or writing that attacks, insults, or denounces a person, topic, or institution. It involves the use of abusive and negative use of language (THINK CONNOTATION and CACOPHANY). T he tool of invective is generally employed to shed negative light on a situation. Example: Jonathan Swift wrote, “I cannot but conclude the bulk of your natives to be the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth.”  

Repetition is a literary device that … repeats the same words, sounds or phrases a few times to make an idea clearer. There are several types of repetitions commonly used in both prose and poetry. As a rhetorical device, it could be a word, a phrase or a full sentence or a poetical line repeated to emphasize its significance in the entire text. Repetition is not distinguished solely as a figure of speech but more as a rhetorical device. TYPES of repetition are on your list  

Ethos (Credibility), or ethical appeal, means convincing by the character of the author or their trustworthiness or credibility based on his or her expertise in the field, his or her previous record or integrity, and so forth.  

Pathos (Emotional) means persuading by appealing to the reader's emotions, sympathies and imagination TO CAUSE an audience not just to respond emotionally but to identify with the writer's point of view--to feel what the writer feels - 'to suffer' – to feel pain imaginatively by language choices to affect the audience's emotional response.  

Logos (Logical) means persuading by the use of reasoning. The clarity of the claim, the logic of its reasons, and the effectiveness of its supporting evidence Facts / Statistics / Common Sense Details

Now – we write!