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Writing Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [figures-of-speech]

This tag should be used when asking a question about a figure of speech, such as when asking how to incoporate a certain type of rhetorical device in your writing or which kind of rhetorical device could help you convey your intentions to your readers.

This tag should be used when asking a question about a figure of speech, such as when asking how to incoporate a certain type of rhetorical device in your writing or which kind of rhetorical device could help you convey your intentions to your .

Contrast this with . If you are unsure about the differences between "Rhetoric" and "Figure of Speech" you should have a look at this question: Rhetoric vs Figure of Speech. To quote from this answer:

Figures are a subset of Rhetoric, albeit a major subset, which is probably why you have equated the two. Nonetheless, they are different. Rhetoric is an over-arching framework for persuasive speech or writing that not only includes figures, but also includes topics like the appeals (ethos, pathos, logos), identifying the type of situation, the canons, and various other areas.

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Are there situations where using an anastrophe is ill-advised?

I wrote a (unrhymed) couplet, because I couldn't find a good enough example: She ran the comb through her hair ebony As the night fell upon the land of light. Is there a situation where reversing the natural word order is ill-advised or…
puffofsmoke
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Rhetoric vs Figure of Speech

From Wikipedia, I learned that figure of speech is change of general usage of words. When it's a change of the ordinary or expected pattern of words, it is called "scheme", while when it's a change of the general meaning of words, it is called…
Tim
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Ironic Juxtaposition or Antithesis?

The human animal is a beautiful and terrible creature, capable of limitless compassion and unfathomable cruelty. This is taken from the lyrics Sophia by The Crüxshadows. It had stuck with me for so many years and wondered if there's a literary…
Idsel Seno
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When is using a simile better than giving a literal description?

Definition of simile : a figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by like or as (as in cheeks like roses) Similes are nice tools that every narrator has (even if I'd like to focus on creative-writing for this…
Liquid
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Is alliteration distracting and not very valuable/interesting for the reader?

I tend to use alliteration a lot. This is an example from a story I'm writing: "Let me get this straight," Aru said, sliding on her dress. She always felt frosty after failed fornication. "You're giving me two thousand yen because you couldn't…
wyc
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Metaphor or Personification

Recently, on a school test, I was given a poem comprehension. One of the questions was : What is the figure of speech in "...the trees start whispering among themselves? (A) Metaphor (B) Simile (C) Personification (D) Onomotopoeia I ruled…
Yashbhatt
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Using colors as words

He was clad with white and silver bracelets. Can we use colors such as white and use them as a substitute for other words like "white clothes"? He was clad with white linen and silver bracelets. I am thinking since we use material such as linen…
user36239
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Is writing literary devices in a narrative essay (reflective) always good?

In narrative essays, writing literary devices almost always makes the reader feel more of what is in the story. However, sometimes I like writing reflective narratives, where thoughts of the character are more important. And nobody in real life…
Osprey
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When does a phrase change from "quote" to "expression coined by"?

"The best-laid plans of mice and men oft go awry" comes from Robert Burns's To a Mouse. It is a commonly used expression, though the "mice and men" part is often omitted nowadays. In fact, not every person using the expression would be aware of its…
Galastel supports GoFundMonica
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What do you call the technique of using idioms to form new idioms to allude to something?

On English Language Learners there was a question about the lyrics "Wake me up inside" regarding the grammatical correctness and meaning of the words. I am wondering if there is a name for this type of expression as a literary technique. The…
user36239
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Can I use rain as a metaphor for war?

"Avalon falls to these lands. The red blood poured from the sky." Using Avalon instead of rain. Is this a metaphor and is this a valid metaphor? I am trying to see if this makes any sense as a metaphor. The second sentence says that the rain is…
user36239
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What kind of metaphor is "trees in the wind"?

What kind of metaphor is "trees in the wind"? I saw God in the Forest Teachin' Tai Chi To the trees in the wind Bowing to the sea Excerpt from http://www.bensollee.com/panning-for-gold What I find odd is that the reference is "trees in the wind"…
user36239
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Combining an idiom with a metonymy

I am not sure if this is possible. I would like to use a metonymy with an idiom, and it doesn't seem to be something people ever did, so it feels wrong. I have the following sentence: He was in the middle of our fedora hats celebrating our…
user36239
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Using spoonerism for a non-humoristic purpose

I found this interesting figure of speech called spoonerism. Here's the article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoonerism Now, I have been wondering if spoonerism can be used in a non-humoristic manner, because it would be a useful tool to make…
user36239
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Can metaphors be used for other purposes than for stylistic effect and to form an allegory?

I was wondering if there were other uses for metaphors other than forming an allegory and for stylistic effect, that is, adding more flair to a description that would be otherwise dull. I've done some research and honestly I wasn't able to find…
puffofsmoke
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