Figuratively Speaking: What Does It Mean

Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
- Psalms 64:3, The Book of Psalms [Bible, Old Testament]

Figurative language is an abstract literary art which has been used in various contexts and references since centuries, including various holy scriptures and archaic texts. It involves a cunning play on words, coupled with the sharp sense of creative and abstract thinking. It lends a sense of eclecticism and surrealism to the speech and text, and compels the audience to think twice before inferring any possible conclusion. Figuratively speaking, or figurative speech, is ideally used by poets, writers and people who cherish the meaning of each and every word by exploring the lyrical and intangible essence. Let's see if we can figure it out.

Meaning of Figuratively Speaking

Figurative speaking is phrasing one's speech in such a fashion that it aggravates the intensity of the message that the speaker is trying to convey, and makes it more compelling to the audience. That doesn't mean that each word should have a literal significance, it could simply be used to portray the main gist of the fact that is being put across. Figurative speaking requires imaginative and strong verbal skills to develop situations, which would be able to conjure a visual verisimilitude of the actual events with utmost acuteness and verbosity. Figurative language could be augmented by vivid images which could further illustrate the message. The idea is to create apt and lucid circumstances through various figures of speech like abstract comparisons and substitutions.

Parts of Figurative Speaking

Figurative speaking is built upon the concept of figures of speech in the English language. They are various elements which lends the hypothetical quality to figurative literature.

Metaphor
It is the substitution of a literal word for another word which might not be logically correct, but helps in describing the idea or quality of the actual word. For example, 'She's a vixen!' (no offense to the fairer sex) doesn't mean that she literally is one, but it portrays her immorality.

Simile
Another classic component in figurative speaking which compares two distinct entities explicitly conjoined with words like like or as. For example, 'He is as agile as a horse' is an example of figurative speech where a simile is used.

Irony
Irony is a statement which if taken in context, may actually have a completely opposite meaning of what is actually written. It hints a bit of sarcasm or sometimes, a little tongue-in-cheek humor. This idea could be reinforced by a quote like, 'I hate people who steal my ideas before I think of them'. Could you figure out the 'irony'?

Allegory
This could be called an extension of metaphor where a meaning could be conveyed in the form of deep symbols and artistic figures. The Forbidden Fruit which was consumed by Adam and Eve is a form of allegory for the uncontrollable human temptation and materialistic lust.

Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is when you try to recreate a similar environment or feeling by mimicking the related sound or characteristic associated with the primary cause. An excerpt taken from one of Sir Alfred Tennyson's poems would give you a fair idea of this: .. the moan of doves in immemorial elms, And murmuring of innumerable bees.

These are few examples of figures of speech which are used extensively in figurative literature and public speaking.

Figurative language could be used when you want to illustrate the diversity and liveliness while expressing your thoughts. It doesn't have to be literally correct, but should have elements of exaggeration and abstraction when you materialize your thoughts and ideas.