Unit 6 Lesson 3: Figures of Speech

Question 1

connotations

Answer 1

feelings words give you, different from their literal definitions

Question 2

taboos

Answer 2

prohibitions based in the customs of a culture or group against speaking openly about particular subjects

Question 3

euphemism

Answer 3

the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive word or phrase in place of one that might be harsh or unpleasant

Question 4

Euphemism is the act of

Answer 4

The act of exchanging one word or phrase for another helps the author describe something in a more specific way.

Question 5

What does euphermism allow an author to do

Answer 5

Euphemism also allows the author to tailor what they are saying to meet the needs of their readers, avoiding taboos, and taking their audience’s feelings and comfort level into account.

Question 6

What does Euphemisms rely on

Answer 6

Euphemisms work by relying on the connotations that people relate to different words and phrases.

Question 7

The connotations of some words evoke pleasant and soothing feelings, while others cut to the heart of the matter. Give an example

Answer 7

A reader might think less positively about a character described as being “lazy” versus one being a “couch potato.” A description of an athlete “bathed in dewy perspiration” reads less harshly than a description of an athlete “drowning in sweat.”

Question 8

What difference does it make to the reader if death is described as kicking the bucket versus passing over to the other side?

Answer 8

The first example describes death in a less serious and blunt manner that the reader might find startling or disrespectful to read. The second example describes death in a peaceful and indirect way that the reader might find less disturbing to read. The reader will feel differently about the character speaking depending upon which euphemism the author chooses to use.

Question 9

. Authors may use euphemisms to protect their audience from uncomfortable or harsh topics, but that is not the only reason. Elaborate

Answer 9

. In fact, an author might violate an audience’s sensitivities on purpose for effect. Or, the author might take advantage of how they expect the audience to react to certain words or phrases in order to confuse or deceive them.

Question 10

Here are some functions euphemisms can serve in writing:

Answer 10

• protecting the audience out of politeness from blunt or offensive language or concepts
• building and developing characters through their dialogue and thoughts
• introducing humor by saying things in new and startling ways
• providing variety by changing up how you talk about a subject
• deceiving the audience by presenting something negative as positive

Question 11

How is an author using the device of euphemism when telling a war story in which soldiers occupying another country call their activity a peacekeeping mission?

Answer 11

Normally, the occupation of another country would be called something like an attack or an invasion. In this case, the use of the euphemism peacekeeping mission indicates that the people in the story using this term are trying to deceive others in the story and make them feel better about this military action.

Question 12

contradiction

Answer 12

a combination of ideas or other things that conflict or are opposite in meaning

Question 13

juxtapose

Answer 13

to put two ideas or other things next to one another to create a specific effect

Question 14

oxymoron

Answer 14

a figure of speech created by placing two words with opposite or conflicting meanings next to each other to create an effect

Question 15

When authors of literary texts want to express a complicated emotion or sophisticated thoughts, they can use the device of

Answer 15

oxymoron

Question 16

What is the termilogy of oxymoron

Answer 16

Formed from the Greek words oxys (“sharp or pointed”) and moros (“dull or foolish”), the word oxymoron names a figure of speech that allows the author to make a sharp point in a seemingly odd or foolish way.

Question 17

give an example of oxymoron

Answer 17

For example, on the face of it, at first, it doesn’t seem to make sense to describe the sound of a quiet room as full of “deafening silence.” But when a reader considers further, the pairing of the word “deafening” with the word “silence” emphasizes just how completely soundless the atmosphere of the room is—in fact, so silent that it almost overwhelms the listener’s senses.

Question 18

Authors use oxymorons for reasons such as the following:

Answer 18

• to foster a playful or humorous tone
• to produce sarcasm or irony
• to add a layer of deeper meaning
• to express a complex idea
• to inspire philosophical thought
• to create a dramatic effect
• to convey a nuanced emotion

Question 19

When is Humotous oxymorons used

Answer 19

When used with the intent to create humor, oxymorons might simply poke fun at a situation. They might also slyly make a more serious comment on an important issue.

Question 20

What is an example of humour oxymorns

Answer 20

In the first case, phrases such as organized chaos or minor crisis create a funny effect by describing a difficult time in a light-hearted and unexpected way. Readers can enjoy the amusing image of one character instructing another to act naturally or a student being ordered to sign up for a compulsory elective.

Question 21

In the second case, authors will label certain pairs of words oxymorons to make a serious comment or an important observation in an entertaining way. What is an example

Answer 21

:For example, authors have called business ethics an oxymoron to imply in a humorous way that people in the corporate world may sometimes lack morals. They have called educational television an oxymoron to indicate their disbelief that watching television could ever benefit children.

Question 22

What humorous effect might an author imply by using the oxymoron “military intelligence”?

Answer 22

When an author uses this phrase as an oxymoron, the author is implying that the military sometimes lacks wisdom and good decision-making skills.

Question 23

Example of thoughtful oxymorons

Answer 23

John Keats composes a poetic oxymoron when about times when a person becomes absorbed in reading a good book. Keats labels this experience “delicious diligent indolence.” Normally when a person is “indolent,” they are lazily avoiding activity. Yet when a person is “diligent,” they are steadily putting effort into doing something. Thinking about the contrast between these two concepts helps the reader understand what Keats is saying about the act of reading. Keats believes that reading can be at once a time of rest during which the reader is also putting great effort into mentally traveling through the book.

Question 24

alliteration

Answer 24

the repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables

Question 25

anthropomorphism

Answer 25

giving human behaviors, characteristics, or emotions to an object, animal, or god; non-humans literally act as if human

Question 26

hyperbole

Answer 26

the use of extreme exaggeration to make a point

Question 27

personification

Answer 27

figurative language that gives human characteristics or traits to an inanimate object, abstraction, or animal to create imagery

Question 28

understatement

Answer 28

describing something as smaller or less significant than it actually is

Question 29

What are some reasons why an author uses figures of speech

Answer 29

Some reasons why authors might use figures of speech are to create an effect, to summon an emotion, or to emphasize a point. Many kinds of authors use figures of speech, from poets and playwrights to novelists and essayists. Being able to interpret figures of speech proficiently will allow a reader to unlock the deeper meanings of a text.

Question 30

What is difference between anthropomorphism and personification

Answer 30

Personification is figurative, not literal, and gives human traits or characteristics to inanimate objects to create imagery. On the other hand, anthropomorphism gives human emotions or behavior to non-human objects or characters, especially animals, such as dogs that talk, think, and dance in a fable—something non-human literally behaving as if human.

Question 31

What do hyperboles add to a stroy

Answer 31

Hyperbole, which is used to show extreme exaggeration, may be humorous, but it might also make a point. Hyperbole provides intensity and energy.

Question 32

What does an understatement add to a story

Answer 32

understatement, a figure of speech that downplays something as less important than it really is, can also be used for humor or to make a point. It might also express sarcasm or irony. But understatement is less active or emotional

Question 33

Why is an alliteration used

Answer 33

For example, repeating the s sound can evoke a sneaky or sinister mood. Repeating the l sound creates a calm or serene mood.

Question 34

How are anthropomorphism and personification similar? How do they differ?

Answer 34

Both figures of speech attribute human characteristics to something that is not human. However, they are different because personification creates imagery figuratively, while anthropomorphism has something non-human, often animals, literally act like humans, such as talking or running.

Question 35

How are the roles of hyperbole and understatement similar or different?

Answer 35

Both figures of speech involve presenting something as different than it really is. Hyperbole exaggerates, adding intensity; the level of emotion and energy is higher. Understatement treats something as smaller or less significant than it is, so the level of emotion or enthusiasm is less.

Question 36

What are some reasons why an author might use figures of speech?

Answer 36

Authors might use figures of speech to make their writing more interesting by departing from the literal meanings of words, to create humor, or to emphasize a point.