Semantic Patternings Flashcards
Figurative language
another term for semantic patterning, particularly focusing on simile, metaphor, personification and hyperbole.
Irony
the expression of one’s meaning by using language that nroamlly signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.
E.g. “What a beautiful sunny day!” (when it is raining and freezing cold).
Metaphor
a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn’t literally true but helps explain an idea or make a comparison.
E.g. “I’m drowning in work.”
Oxymoron
a figure of speech in which contradicting terms appear in conjunction.
E.g. “Faith unfaithful kept him falsely true.”
Simile
a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more empathic or vivid.
E.g. “As brave as a lion.”
Hyperbole
exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
E.g. “I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse.”
Personification
the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something non-human, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form.
E.g. “The sun kissed my skin.”
Animation
gives life or movement to inanimate objects, ideas or places. Unlike personification, the animation are not specifically human and can be associated with other living things.
E.g. “The wind howled.”
Puns
a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words which sound alike but have different meanings.
E.g. “The duck said to the waiter, ‘put it on my bill’.”
Lexical Ambiguity
many words have more than one meaning. Lexical ambiguity occurs when it is not clear the exact meaning intended.
E.g. “The punch made him unsteady on his feet.”
What is the acronym
PHAM’S PILOF
