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Simile(you're on Candid Camera)
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Simile(you're on Candid Camera) |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
Simile A direct, expressed comparison between two things essentially unlike, but resembling each other in at least one aspect. What's with this!!!! Explain please...examples welcome... |
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Jannel Member
since 2000-01-18
Posts 492Muncie, IN, USA |
A simile is a lot like a metaphor, but uses words suck as "like" and "as." Examples: "His voice, from years of smoking, was rough as gravel." "Her lips were like honey, sweet, but sticky."  jannel "I'm just saying that we've mistaken one for thousands of words, and for that mistake I've caused you such pain that I damn that word." -10000 Maniacs "Jezebel" |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
Using a SIMILE is AS easy AS pie but A metaphor is a piece of cake!  |
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Severn Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-17
Posts 7704 |
Where did you get that definition? It should have mentioned the like or as thing - that is the distinct difference between similes and metaphors. EG's: The river twined like a snake The river twined as a snake through grass. The whole thing with the two nouns being different in these examples is that a snake and a river are of course totally different - but they have in common the similarity of form and movement. To make this a metaphor one could say: The river was a slow-shifting snake through the landscape. K< !signature--> 'Writing sharpens life; life enriches writing' Sylvia Plath [This message has been edited by Severn (edited 03-02-2000).] |
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Brad Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705Jejudo, South Korea |
A simile is easy. Defining a metaphor is difficult (and I would argue that Poet DeVine's definition is incorrect -- the comparisons are arbitrary except by convention). Sharon, you are embarking on this strange world called theory. Are you sure you want to go there? You'll start talking like me. All language is metaphorical. Yeah, that includes body language. Brad PS Am I making sense? It's been a long morning. |
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jbouder Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash |
Yeah, Brad, I guess if you want to split hairs all language is metaphorical (words/actions describing the thing are not to be confused with actually BEING the thing). How does the word "hot" describe boiling water? We associate the meaning of the word "hot" with the sensation of something actually being "hot". Words are merely symbols that communicate sensations and ideas and are not actually those sensations or ideas. But I think, rather than getting bogged down in theory, it is safe to use Merriam Webster's definition of "metaphor": met-a-phor n. A figure of speech in which the context demands that the word or phrase not be taken literally, as the sun is smiling; a comparison that doesn't use like or as. Jim |
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Severn Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-17
Posts 7704 |
Hold on Jim - the sun is smiling is a personification. OK - so now you may argue that a pers. is merely a branch of metaphor - but still - they would not have been defined such as they are into separate categories had not a use for that been deemed necessary. Shrug - a simile is a simile, a metaphor is a metaphor and a pers. is a pers. Hehe...  K'Writing sharpens life; life enriches writing' Sylvia Plath |
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jbouder Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash |
Kamla, Kamla, Kamla. I'm not arguing anything. I was merely citing Merriam- Webster ... granted, it was merely a desktop version but it was still Merriam-Webster ... let me see if I can find something better .. okay, I've got it: met-a-phor n. A figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them (as in the ship plows the sea; broadly: figurative language. That better, m'dear?  Jim |
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Severn Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-17
Posts 7704 |
Jim Hmmmmmmmm...... Is it better...definitely! I knew you were quoting but picky as I am - I decided to perceive your use of that quote as advocation... Here is my dictionary's def.: a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action that it does not literally denote in order to imply a resemblance, for example he is a lion in battle. BUT - here is my point of contention with this...do you think that 'Figure of speech' is truly an accurate description? I feel it is more important than that now - the metaphor is a true literary tool, with more impact in my mind than a mere 'figure of speech' Whatddya think? K(PdV - please forgive - this does now resemble an entirely different topic than a simile, I know!!) [This message has been edited by Severn (edited 03-07-2000).] |
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Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
quote: Ok, now you KNOW that since you're working off a basis of "accuracy," that I'm going to pick on statements like this. In these few words, you claim that one method outweighs the other. Does this not take into account factors such as variance in style, message of the poem/piece, idiosyncracies such as whom the piece is aimed at, (IE: If directed toward a young audience, a figure of speech may have more impact that a metaphor, seeing as how they might be more familiar with such.,) etc.? I know I'm pickin' bones here, but I really would like a clarification. Is it your intent to state that no matter the situation, a metaphor is more powerful? Or did you just make a blanket statement as a "general rule?"  |
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Severn Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-17
Posts 7704 |
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! 'Writing sharpens life; life enriches writing' Sylvia Plath |
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Severn Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-17
Posts 7704 |
Right you, now that I have Grrrrred... OK. Sigh..... Here we go Mr Picker-of-bones... (And as I am working from a basis of accuracy there are two aspects to deal with: The literal/official meaning of Figure of Speech and the colloquial meaning.) ~Point One~ Ahem... Figure of Speech: 'An expression of language, such as metaphor, by which the literal meaning of a word is not employed'. (Courtesy Collins Dictionary) Figure of Speech: 'Communication that is not meant literally; stylistic device' (Courtesy Roget's Thesaurus). Device:'a particular pattern of words, figures of speech, etc., used in literature to produce an effect'. (Courtesy Col. Dict.) Effect:'an impression, usually contrived'. (Courtesy Col. Dict.) So, here we have the Figure of Speech. The literal/official Figure of Speech. The Figure of Speech which includes metaphor, simile, paradox, oxymoron...etc. "you claim that one method outweighs the other" Quote unquote. Here I must refute you for a Figure of Speech officially is a branch title all aforementioned devices fall under. So it isn't possible in an literal/official context for your statement to be correct. They are not synonymous. Now - given that a Figure of Speech officially consists of all literary devices could you please give me an literal/official example of: "If directed toward a young audience, a figure of speech may have more impact that[sic - hehehehe] a metaphor" quote unquote? Which brings me to... ~Point Two~ It seems that the way in which you have depicted the Figure of Speech is the colloquial meaning we (meaning society) have ascribed to it. The 'oh, it's just a figure of speech' connotation typically said flippantly...so common as to be unimportant. EG: Someone might say 'I know there will be a strike like I know the sun will rise tomorrow...' - with the sun rising tomorrow part forming a common F of S, (here anyway) but not a literary device - the 'like' does not signal a simile here. NOW - you may actually have a point with the idea of a colloquial F of S being more appropriate for young children due to more familiarity etc, definitely situation dependent. "Is it your intent to state that no matter the situation, a metaphor is more powerful?" Quote unquote. No. As I stated in your 'Create-a-word' query I believe language evolves and as I was referring to the colloquial Figure of Speech, which has evolved from the literal F of S (literary devices), I was suggesting that the metaphor of itself is more important now than to be synomymous with the colloquial F of S. I am suggesting that the dictionary term of having F of S as a branch title is outdated in common language and doesn't do the metaphor justice. It should be separate... No blanket statements here - in summary Chris - there are two ways to look at this - the literal/official or the colloquial. I myself was seeing it from both - the colloquial being mundane as compared to the delicate, clever metaphor and the literal/official as being outdated. Clarified? [This message has been edited by Severn (edited 03-09-2000).] |
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jbouder Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash |
Severn: "It seems that the way in which you have depicted the Figure of Speech is the colloquial meaning we (meaning society) have ascribed to it. The 'oh, it's just a figure of speech' connotation typically said flippantly...so common as to be unimportant." "As I stated in your 'Create-a-word' query I believe language evolves and as I was referring to the colloquial Figure of Speech, which has evolved from the literal F of S (literary devices), I was suggesting that the metaphor of itself is more important now than to be synomymous with the colloquial F of S." I think "idiom" is the better word to use to describe a figure of speech having a colloquial meaning. Jim |
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Severn Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-17
Posts 7704 |
Jim - perhaps...definitely in some instances but I used colloquial because often the figure of speech is colloquialised, so I just wanted to mould the concept of it around they way in which it is used. Did that make sense? Probably not...oh well, it's too early in the morning... |
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