1. Introduction:

A language is well recognized in the literature by virtue of its various special grammar features. Figures of speech in any language create a niche for a language, and in this sense, the English language holds a special place in the world of literature by virtue of the beautiful applications of figures of speech. Several languages ​​use figures of speech, but English is unique due to its more modern usage.

Figures of speech are mostly used by efficient writers, skillful orators, talented poets, and talented playwrights. We will see, in this article, how these talented genres use this technique to add shine and glory to the language.

But one thing is to insist, learning language lessons through exercises has limited use and only an innate quality can give this talent. However, by reading various articles and listening to lectures, one can improve, rather polish, their innate talents and present their writings in a more brilliant light.

With these few words of introduction, let me discuss the Figures of Rhetoric in various writings one after another.

2. What is a figure of speech?

Any writer or poet will put his soul into his writings and such writings will be pure representation of his soul. His readers have to be in tune with the same wavelength and realize the soul behind the creations. Mere words will not be enough to do this job because words will represent only the body and a deeper technique is needed to convey and understand the soul. Figures of speech will do this job; The words may not be the same as those required to convey the meaning, but rather something beyond the meaning to convey the soul. English is very rich in this technique and there are various forms of rhetorical figures. In this article we will see a very few among them. This is by no means an exhaustive list and readers are left to read more prose and poetry to learn more and more figures of speech.

It will not be out of place to mention that classical Tamil language is very rich in this technique and some examples from Tamil language are also given.

3. Similes and metaphors:

The most fundamental rhetorical figures are the simile and the metaphor. There will be no writer or poet without using these two. A simile is a comparison of two things using words like ‘so or as’, which have some aspect in common.

Poets always compare a woman to the moon (cool and beautiful) and a man to a lion (brave and beautiful). Women are sometimes compared to vines and men to trees, especially a teak tree. In other words, the man is always strong like teak wood, while the vine hugs the tree out of love. Another simile that is often used is: Man, due to the cruelty of his mind, spoils the life of a woman as a wild animal squeezes a garland.

The imagination of poets has no limits. They are not satisfied with describing the lover as a moon, but she is a perfect moon. For moon there is only one day as a full moon, but for you dear every day is a full moon (because your beauty never fades) so writes a poet.

The metaphor differs from the simile in the sense that it does not compare two things but rather freezes them into one.

“The Lion roared that he would achieve freedom” – describing a freedom fighter

The following are some examples of similes and metaphors.

“I wandered alone like a cloud…”

“I continue like the stars that shine

And twinkle in the Milky Way”

-Both form the poem ‘Daffodils’ written by William Wordsworth.

If life is a journey, take it

If life is a game, play it

If life is a challenge, face it,

If life is a fight, win it.

“A Himalayan makes a mistake”, a phrase used by Gandhi.

4. Hyperbole and Litotes:

Hyperbole is the unique quality of poets. In ordinary life, lying is an offense, but in poetry, lying is highly sought after to attract readers’ attention and admiration. It is also largely an exaggeration. Even if it is a lie, it will describe the situation well and therein lies the greatness of the poet.

Some examples of hyperbole:

The author wishes to add some humor to this article and the following paragraph describing the use of hyperbole will serve that purpose.

In India, especially Tamil Nadu, people use hyperbole to please their bosses etc. with a lot of freedom. The following examples will explain it.

The moment a political leader gets some recognition, posters will be plastered on the walls all over the city praising him.

“Long live our permanent leader,

Just show your little finger, we’ll bring the earth to your feet”

You are our breath, you are our food, you are our life, etc.

(In the next election, if the leader is defeated, the banners will also disappear, and new banners will appear praising the winner. After all, “Nothing succeeds like success.”

Another field that receives more affection and affection from the public is that of cinema. Fans will congratulate the matinee idols on their birthday days as follows:

“You are the Sun, You give it light. When you wake up He will rise, when you close your eyes, He will darken”

The Earth rotates thanks to you. The lion learned to roar with your laughter, the flowers bloom with your smile”, etc., etc.

The litotes are just the opposite, which is to degrade something by speaking in a negative way.

For example: “Okay, the image is not bad” means that the image was satisfactorily good.

The man is not stupid means that the man was intelligent. 5 Euphemisms, dysphemisms and oxymorons.

5. Euphemism is to say an unpleasant thing in a pleasant way.

“Oh! My leader sleeps there!” which means that he is dead and buried there.

“I’m going to the bathroom” means I’m going to go to the bathroom, etc.

Dysphemism is the opposite of euphemism.

For example: Call a thrifty man ‘stingy guy’.

Calling a freedom fighter a ‘terrorist’

A company boss is described as a ‘stubborn colleague’.

Oxymoron combines two contradictory things to define a common characteristic.

From father to son: “You are a wise fool. You have a clever way of inviting trouble.”

“I do volunteer work out of obligation”

The king was a merciful dictator.

“The guy was dutifully bold”

The UN sends its ‘peace force’ to countries at war.

6. Personification:

Personification is imagining lifeless things as if they were alive.

“Oh Death, why do you lay your cruel hands on all the great people!

O death, won’t you get death one day?” for others to live, taken from a Tamil poem.

“Behold! Your Pride and Vanity Will Speak”

7. Apostrophe:

“Oh. Mahatma (Gandhi) Is it because of this, you got us our freedom?”

This is a direct conversation with the dead as if they were alive and in front of us.

Sometimes non-living objects are assumed to be alive and are addressed.

Oh India, is there anyone to save you from this catastrophe?”

“Oh, Indian cinema, do you have a future”?

8. Antithesis:

The antithesis says two totally contradictory things in one sentence to emphasize a particular point.

The best example of an antithesis is ‘; Man proposes, God disposes’ which shows that nothing is in our hands.

To err is human but to forgive is Divine.

Speech is silver but silence is gold.

“It’s not that I love Caesar less, but I love Rome more”

9. Epigram:

Epigrams are almost proverbial sayings corresponding to the antithesis, exciting surprise in the minds of listeners.

Fools rush where angels fear to tread.

The child is the father of the man.

Poetry is nothing more than a glorified lie.

Marriages are legalized prostitution.

10: Irony:

Irony is an essential ingredient of poetry and drama. The irony of the circumstances enhances the pathos in them and a reflection of the talent of the writer or poet. It is a subject for which thousands of examples could be given from poetry, prose, plays, and films. In fact, it requires a series of articles to cover this vast topic. However, let me just highlight a few examples to highlight this figure of speech. (Examples given from own observations).

YO). We have seen in various movies, the child is separated from the parent. The irony is that the father will help his son in various difficult circumstances without knowing that he is helping his own son.

ii) The lovers are separated by a cruel fate. When the lover meets his girlfriend after, say, five years, she is none other than his stepmother, having married her father. The irony is added when he is shown to be blind.

iii) A student fights with a lady. When he arrives at his exam room, he is surprised to find that she is none other than his new teacher.

Readers are requested to read more poetry and prose and identify this figure of speech and enjoy the richness of the language.

11. PLAY OF GAMES:

PUN is to quote a word giving different meanings: Some people are great experts in this way of speaking. A lot of wisdom is required to make a pun on a particular word.

A very famous example of this is “Mr… Conceived three times and delivered nothing” commenting on a British MP who said “I conceive, conceive, conceive” but did not complete the statement.

A father, on a cloudy day, comments, “the sun does not shine, nor does my son shine” to comment on his son’s poor performance.

‘We ‘dye’ for you’, a banner.

How long we live depends on the ‘live’.

12. Metonymy:

It implies a change of name, by virtue of the duties performed:

The court (judges) granted the death sentence.

The tribune (committee of three members) settled the offer.

The Crown (King) is pleased, etc.

The faculty (Professors) had a meeting

13. Climax and anticlimax:

Climax is a dramatic ending to a sentence on a positive note, and that on a negative note is ‘anti-climax’.

He is intelligent, hard-working, intelligent, studious, and indeed is ‘Intelligence personified’.

He is my Friend, Philosopher and Guide and ultimately, he is my God.

She is very beautiful. charming, beautiful and none other than Venus who has come to Earth.

These are some examples of Climax.

Examples of anticlimax are:

He is a man as rich as God of wealth, he owns all the gold and money, and he never gives a single paisa to the poor.

He buys kilos of food, drinks and fruit, but cannot eat even a single piece on the doctor’s advice (also an example of irony)

He’s a great soccer player, representing the varsity team in dozens of games and never scoring a goal.

Water everywhere, not a drop to drink.

14. Closing:

These are some very simple examples of figure of speech reproduced mostly from personal observations and some from known examples. This is just the tip of the iceberg (not hyperbole). In fact, this is a vast area of ​​any language that needs in-depth study. But the habit of most students is to skip this chapter which usually comes at the end of grammar classes and seems to be lazy to learn. This article can help create an orientation towards this aspect of learning. If readers are motivated to learn more about figures of speech, the purpose of this article is served.

I wish the readers ALL THE BEST.