CHAPTER 5 FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
D. Types of Figurative Language
According to Tarigan (1986:113) states that figurative language can be categorized into four groups, those are:
1. Figure of Comparison - Figure of Comparison is a kind of figurative language, which is used to find the similarities in different things. Figure of comparison divided into five groups, those are: simile, metaphor, personification, allegory, and antithesis.
2. Figure of Contradiction - Figure of Opposition is a kind of figurative language, which is use to show the contradiction or the opposite of an idea of a subject in sentences or phrases Figure of contradiction divided into seven groups, those are: hyperbole, litotes, irony, oxymoron, paronomasia, paralypsis, and zeugma.
3. Figure of Connection - Figure of connection is a kind of figurative language, which is use to show or express an idea, or a subject matter that is clearly associated or has a strong relationship. Figure of connection divided into seven groups, those are: metonymy, synecdoche, allusion, euphemism, ellipsis, inversion, and gradation.
4. Figure of Repetition - Figure of repetition is a kind of figurative language in which the same words or phrases are use repeatedly is successive
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clause. Figure of repetition divided into four groups, those are:
alliteration, antanaclasys, chiasmus, and repetition.
Merriam-Webster‟s encyclopedia of Literature (1995,p.415) states that figurative language or figures of speech can be classified into five categories, such as:
1. Figures of resemblance on relationship (e.g. simile, metaphor, kenning, conceit, parallelism, personification, metonymy, synecdoche, and euphemism).
2. Figures of emphasis or understatement (e.g. hyperbole, litotes, rhetoric, question, antithesis, climax, bathos, paradox, oxymoron, and irony).
3. Figures of sound (e.g. alliteration, repetition, anaphora, and onomatopoeia).
5. Verbal games and gymnastics (e.g. pun and anagram) 6. Errors (e.g. malapropism, periphrasis, and spoonerism) There are many types of figurative language:
1) Metaphor
Metaphor comes from Greek. Metha which means “displace”, and pherein means “bring”. According to Poerwadarminta (in Tarigan 1986:121) states that metaphor is words that do not have real meaning, however description based on similarities or comparisons. Metaphor is a kind of figurative meaning which is an implicit comparison in which two unlike objects are compared by identifying or substituting one with other. Frost (2006) Metaphor is use of word or phrase denoting kind of idea or object in place of another word or phrase for the purpose of suggesting a likeness between the two. A metaphor compares two unlike things. "My baby sister's a doll," you might say, compares your sister's size and sweetness to that of the perfection of a doll. At another time you might say, "My brother is a rat." This compares your brother to the nastiest little creature you can think of. In both cases you would be making a metaphor -a form of comparison that directly compares two unlike things. A metaphor wastes no time in getting to the point.
For example:
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A view of a geode crystal is like the mind probing the universe
The stages of love are stepping stones to death
Library is a warehouse of knowledge.
He is a gold son of my uncle.
Yanti is a flower village in my hometown 2) Simile
Simile comes from Latin which means “such as”. Simile is comparison of two different things but considered has the same meaning. Simile is described explicitly by use of the words: such as, like, if as, as though, be like. (Tarigan, 1986:118). Simile is a kind of figurative meaning comparing two essentially unlike things. Simile expresses a direct comparison between things, which have one or more points in common and be recognized by the use of the word ‘like’ and ‘as’. The word simile comes from the same Latin word ‘simile’ which means ‘like’.
Frost (2006) said that simile is figure of speech in which a comparison is expressed by the specific use of word or phrase such as: like, as, than, seems or as if.
For example:
Busy as a bee
They fight like dogs and cats
We ran as if to meet the star
Her spirits are hard as steel.
His face was pale like a corpse.
Her face was shone like a full moon.
3) Personification
Personification comes from Latin that is persona which means
“human”, and fic which means “make”. According to Moeliono (in Tarigan, 1986:123) personification is the type of figure of speech which applies the character of human to inanimate object.
Personification consists of giving human characteristic to an object.
Personification originally comes from Latin word ‘persona’ meaning
‘person’, ‘actor’ or ‘mask’ used in the theater and ‘fic’ means to make.
Frost (2006) explained that personification is representation of inanimate objects or abstract ideas as living beings, as in fact.
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Personification gives human characteristics to inanimate objects, animals, or ideas. This can really affect the way the reader imagines things. This is used in children’s books, poetry, and fictional literature.
For example:
Love is blind.
The roaring wind.
The night wind covers up our bodies.
My teddy bear gives me a hug
The radio stopped singing and stared at me
The sky was full of dancing stars 4) Allegory
Allegory comes from Greek allegorein, allos and agoreuein which mean speaking figuratively. According Tarigan (1986:125) allegory is figure of comparison which is told with symbols. Allegory can be in the form of poetry and prose. Allegory is a style of language that compares two pieces of wholeness based on their overall similarities.
Allegory is a narrative or description that has a second meaning beneath the surface one.
For example:
The journey of human life like a river that flowing down to the cliffs, sometimes difficult to guess its depth, who is willing to accept all the garbage, and eventually stop when meets the sea.
If we call commonwealth a ship, the Prince a pilot, the counselor’s mariners, the storm wars.
5) Anthitesis
According to Ducrot and Todorov (in Tarigan, 1986:128) Anthitesis is a comparison of two antonyms. Antithesis is a method of emphasis by the placing of opposed ideas or characteristics in direct contrast with each other.
For example:
Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice, moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.(Wyne, 1989:520)
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She responds the slander with a good language. - My father has experienced many things in this life, he has gone through the bitter and sweet of life.
6) Hyperbole
Hyperbole is expression of exaggeration which used by a writer depicted as being better or worse, or larger or smaller that actually the case. It deliberate overstatement not intended to be taken literally. It is used as a means of emphasizing the truth of the statement. It tells more than the truth about the size, number, or degree of something without intending to deceive. Etimologically, the word ‘hyperbole’ derived from the Greek word. It is from two words: ‘hyper’ means ‘over’ and
‘ballein’ means ‘to throw’. It may be used to evoke strong feeling or to create a strong impression, but it is rarely meant to be taken literally.
Hyperbole come from Greek which means waste, exaggeration.
According to Moeliono (in Tarigan, 1986 : 130) states that hyperbole is an expression which is exaggerated which means the amount, size, and the character. Hyperbole is an expression inn extreme language so as to achieve intensity.
For example:
He loves her for thousand years
He was so hungry, he ate that whole cornfield for lunch
He had tones of money
My heart is broken when I see you with others.
Dad drank a million gallons of water after his run.
7) Litotes
Litotes is a figure of speech in which, rather than making a certain statement directly, a speaker expresses it even more effectively, or achieves emphasis, by denying its opposite. By its nature, litotes is a form of understatement, always deliberate and with the intention of subtle emphasis. However, the interpretation of litotes can depend on context, including cultural context. In speech, it may also depend on intonation and emphasis. Using litotes appeals specifically to certain cultures including the northern Europeans and is popular with the British. It is a feature of Old English poetry and of the Icelandic sagas
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and is a means of much stoical restraint. Litotes comes from Greek litos which means “simple”. Litotes is figure of speech that the sentence expresses positive things with a negative form or contradictory forms. According to Tarigan (1986 : 131) states that litotes is the opposite of hyperbole that containing a minimized statement. For example to show humble attitude. Litotes is the figure of speech in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary.
For example:
This tea is not hot
It is not bad
He’s no genius for he’s stupid
I am not a beauty queen.
Please come to my hut.
This car is the result of our small business.
8) Irony
Irony is figure of speech that express contradictory meanings which has a purpose to humiliate (Moeliono in Tarigan 1986 : 133). The purpose can be achieved by arguing: incompatibility between expectation and reality. Verbal irony is a figure of speech when an expression used in the opposite of the thought in the speaker’s mind, thus conveying a meaning that contradicts the literal definition.
Dramatic irony is a literary or theatrical device of having a character utter word which the reader or audience understands to have a different meaning. Irony of situation is when a situation occurs which is quite the reverse of what one might have expected. Irony is a contrast between what is being said, implied, or suggested and what is actually the case.
For example:
His house is clean and orderly. Nothing dust settled on the pictures and there was no furniture to clutter the living
The room was spotless, lots of scraps of paper on the floor. - Your body is so fragrant that no one is approaching you. - Your writing is very nice like a child who just learned to write.
92 9) Oxymoron
Oxymoron is figure of speech which contains the establishment of a syntactic relationship between two antonyms (Ducrot and Todorov in Tarigan, 1986 : 134).
Oxymoron is a figurative by which two contradictory terms are united in an expression so as to give it point.
For examples:
People who climb a mountain are attracting attention even though very dangerous.
Languages can be used as a national unifier tool but also can as a tool of divisive.
Faith unfaithful kept him falsely true.
10) Paronomasia
Paronomasia is figure of speech which contains an alignment of words that has a similarity sound but has other meanings (Ducrot and Todorov in Tarigan, 1986: 135). Paronomasia is a play on word (s) in which the repeated words are similar but not identical.
For example:
Therefore I lie with her, and she with me. And in our faults by lies we flattered be
On the nail tree was plugged into several pieces of nails to attract a flower pot
11) Paralysis
Paralypsis is figure of speech to explain that someone doesn’t say what is implied in the sentence (Ducrot and Todorov in Tarigan, 1986 : 136).
For examples:
No one likes you (sorry) hate you.
Take me the money (sorry) give me the money, please!
12) Zeugma
Zeugma is a combination of two words containing contradictory of semantic characteristics such as abstract and concrete (Ducrot and Todorov in Tarigan, 1986 : 138). Zeugma is a figure of speech by
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which a single word is made to refer to two words in a sentence, but only one of it which is grammatically or logically applicable.
For examples:
My boy is diligent and also lazy to study at school.
We must be a good person in the earth or in the afterlife.
Near or far, it’s same cost, two thousand per person.
You have broken my heart and my best China vase
13) Metonymy
Metonymy is figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name something else with which it is closely associated. The use of something closely related for the thing actually meant.Example:In
“Out, Out--,” Robert Frost uses metonymy when he describes an injured boy holding up his cut hand “as if to keep / The life from spilling . . . .” Literally he means to keep the blood from spilling Metonymy is a figurative meaning in which the name of one object or idea is substituted for that of another closely associated with it.
Metonymy is derived from Greek word ‘meta’ means ‘to change’
and only means ‘name’. Metonymy is a change of name, the use of the one word for another, the use of an idea by means of terms involving association. Frost (2006) stated that metonymy is a figure of speech that uses a concept closely related to the thing actually meant.
Metonymy is figure of speech consists of using the name one thing for something else with which associated.
For example:
I spent the night reading Shakespeare
Hollywood ( The American film industry)
The White House, for president of the United States.
14) Synecdoche
Synecdoche is to figure of speech to explain a part of the object to state the whole thing or otherwise (Dale in Tarigan, 1986 : 140).
Synecdoche is a figure of speech by wich a part is used to express a whole to express a part.
For examples:
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Mother’s hand is like a magic that can make my heart feel calm.
Twenty summers for twenty years 15) Allusion
Allusion is figure of speech to remind about the past event that are known to both author or the readers to connect with events in the presents. Allusion is an explicit or implicit reference of events, figures, places mythologies, or famous masterpiece
For examples:
I was horrified when I recalled the event of Reformation in 1998.
We experienced the effect of G 30 SPKI rebellion.
The descent of rupiah nowadays is the worst after 1998.
The tragedy of September eleventh 16) Euphemism
Euphemism comes from Greek euphemizien which means speak with clear words. According to Moelionono (In Tarigan, 1986 : 143) states that euphemism is a smoother expression as an alternate rude expression. Euphemism is a vague or a mild expression used to conceal a painful or a disagreeable truth
For examples:
After graduated from high school, Nani will be a waitress in Western restaurant.
“He passed on” for “He died”
17) Ellipsis
Ellipsis is figure of speech that use to remove or delete a sentence element. The function is to make it more effective and polite sentence Ducrot and Todorov (In Tarigan, 1986 : 144). Ellipsis is the omission of parts of words or sentences.
For examples:
He and his wife to Jakarta last week. (Predicat removal: went)
Ronaldo and Messi are playing in the field. (rRemoval element of object: football)
( I have been fine) Fine. And (how have) you?
95 18) Inversion
Inversion is the phase of figure of speech in which the use of sentence arrangement is not as common as usual sentence. In other words, inversion is the subject-predicet sequence change to predicet-subject.
Ducrot and Todorov (In Tarigan, 1986 : 145).
Inverse is the transposition of normal word in the sentence.
For examples:
I am hungry become hungry me.
The color is red become red color.
One week’s notice become notice of one week.
19) Gradation
Gradation is the figure of speech that use the last words in the sentence became the first words in the sentence later (Traigan, 1985 : 146).
For example:
I love you, you have given me a wonderful love that was change my life.
20) Alliteration
Alliteration is the commencement of two or more words in close connection with the same sound (Drabble, 1985 : 18). Alliteration is the commencement of two or more words in close connection with the same sound.
For example:
Find me fifteen friendly friars.
21) Antanaclasis
Antanaclasis is figure of speech that repeats the similar words, but the meaning of word is dissimilar (Tarigan, 1985 : 149).
For example:
Her body sweating after gym, so she drinks a bottle of Pocari Sweat.
96 22) Chiasmus
Chiasmus is figure of speech by which the other words in the first of two parallel clauses is reversed in the second (Drabble, 1985 : 189).
For example:
She saved others; himself he cannot save.
23) Repetition
Repetition is figure of speech by which the same words or phrases are used repeatedly in successive clauses (Tarigan, 1985 : 152).
For example:
Awake up my glory, awake up my lute and harp, and I will awake right early.
CONCLUSION
Related close to the figurative language which is discussed in this study, that will not be separated from the style of language, because form of language style expression. Based on the explanation above, it can be concluded that figurative language is languages that are styled using a variety of specific language. McAcrthur (1992) classified figures of speech into four main groups; they are:
a. Phonological figures which include alliteration, assonance and onomatopoeia.
b. Orthographic features; they are visual forms created for effects.
c. Syntactic figures; they may bring the non-standard into standard language.
d. Lexical figures; they extend the conventional so as to surprise or entertain.
According to Perrine (1982: 118), there are four characteristic of figurative language. First, figurative language affords readers imaginative pleasure of literary works. Second, it is a way of bringing additional imagery into verse, making the abstract concrete, making literary works more sensuous. The third, figurative is a way of adding emotional intensity to otherwise merely informative statements and conveying 22 attitudes along with information. And the last, it is a way of saying much in brief compass.
There are two general categories of figurative language: 1) tropes, which are to do with meaning variations in the use of lexemes and multi-word language
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constructions and 2) schemes, which concern the repetition of phonological, syntactic, and lexical forms, Arvius (2003: 190). According to Tarigan (1986:113) states that figurative language can be categorized into four groups, those are:
1. Figure of Comparison 2. Figure of Contradiction 3. Figure of Connection 4. Figure of Repetition
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99 CHAPTER 6