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TITLE PAGE

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PREFACE

Assalamu’alaikum Warahamullahi wabarakatuh.


Praise Allah SWT for His blessings, mercy, and guidance so that the author
can compile and complete the preparation of this paper on time. With His help, of
course, we can end this paper correctly. Shalawat and salam may be poured out to
our beloved king, the Prophet Muhammad SAW, whom we will look forward to
his syafa'at in the hereafter.
The author expresses gratitude to Allah SWT for His abundance of healthy
favors, both in the form of physical health and mind, so that the author can
complete the making of a paper with the title "Figurative Language."
The author certainly realizes this paper is far from perfect, with many
mistakes and shortcomings. Therefore, to the lecturer, the author asks for input to
improve the author's paper in the future and expects criticism and suggestions
from readers.

Palangka Raya, December 19th, 2023

Compiler

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE............................................................................................................i
PREFACE................................................................................................................ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................iii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION.............................................................................1
A. BACKGROUND OF THE PAPER...........................................................1
B. PROBLEM FORMULATION..................................................................1
C. PURPOSE OF THE PAPER.....................................................................1
CHAPTER II DISCUSSION..................................................................................2
A. DEFINITION OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE......................................2
B. KIND FORMS OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE.....................................2
CHAPTER III CLOSURE......................................................................................6
A. CONCLUSION.........................................................................................6
B. SUGGESTION..........................................................................................6
BIBLIOGRAPHY....................................................................................................7

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A. BACKGROUND OF THE PAPER


Figurative language is often found in prose. There are various forms. By
mastering it, it will be easier for us to understand the imagination of the author
who wrote the prose.
Therefore, the authors wrote the paper "Figurative Language" because we
wanted to research further regarding the definition and its various forms.

B. PROBLEM FORMULATION
1. What is the definition of figurative language?
2. What are the forms of figurative language?

C. PURPOSE OF THE PAPER


1. To know the definition of figurative language.
2. To know the forms of figurative language.

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CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION

A. DEFINITION OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE


Figurative language is language that uses words of expression with meaning
that is different from the literal interpretation. A single word may have a primary
sense, a secondary sense, and a figurative sense. A literary work such as a poem
almost always contains figurative expressions which help to convey in a more
precise way the message contained in the poem. McArthur (1992:402) explains
that figurative language is language in which figures of speech such as metaphor
and similes freely occur. He also considers a figure of speech as a rhetorical
device using words in distinctive ways that achieve a special effect.
According to Groys Keraf, figurative language or style is a way of showing
the mind through a special language that shows the soul and the characteristics of
the writer (language user). A good language style has certain three elements, three
are sincerity, respect, and attractiveness (Groys 2009:113). Thus, figurative
language is the way to express meaning differently from the literal interpretation.

B. KIND FORMS OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE


According to Larson (1998:121), at least five types of figurative
expressions exist. They are metonymy, synecdoche, idioms, euphemism, and
hyperbole. While Keraf (2002: 126) adds some other types of figurative
expressions including antithesis, pleonasm, paradox, simile, metaphor,
personification, irony, and sarcasm.
- Antithesis, antithesis is a construction in which words are opposed but
balanced in opposition (McArthur, 1996:72).
For example:
God and beast.
Ignorance and reason,
To err is human, and to forgive, divine.

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- Euphemism, is the use of a mild, comforting, or evasive expression that takes
the place of one that is taboo, negative, offensive, or too direct (McArthur,
1996:387).
For example:
Terminate, kill = She terminated her pregnancy.
Pass the water, urinate = I think he’s passing water.
- Hyperbole, hyperbole is an exaggeration or overstatement, usually deliberate
and not meant to be taken literally (Larson 1998).
For example:
She rushed out of the room in floods of tears = crying a lot
Let’s have dinner, I am starving = very hungry
When she was in Paris, she spent a ton of money = a lot of money
- Idioms, idioms are expressions of at least two words that cannot be translated
literally and which function as a single unit semantically (Holman 1992).
For example:
We spent two weeks in the hotel living in the lap of luxury = the lifestyle
of a rich person.
He kicked the bucket = he died.
You steal my heart = you make me fall in love with you.
- Irony, irony is words with an implication opposite to their usual meaning.
Ironic comments may be humorous or mildly sarcastic (McArthur, 1996:532).
For example:
When at a difficult moment, an act of kindness makes things worse, and
someone says, “Well, that’s a lot better, isn’t it?”
Someone says to his friend “You are very slim” whereas the fact is that his
friend is very fat.

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- Metaphor, A metaphor is a figure of speech that concisely compares two
things by saying that the one is the other (McArthur, 1996:653).
For example:
My lover is a treasure.
My home is heaven.
Business is a game.
My baby sister’s a doll.
My brother is a rat.
- Metonymy, is a word that is used for something related to that which it
usually refers to (Halliday, 1985:319).
For example:
It won’t happen while I still breathe (breath is used figuratively to mean
life)
The kettle is boiling (the kettle is used in a figurative sense to mean water)
He bought a Chevrolet (Chevrolet is used to mean a car)
- Paradox, paradox is a term in rhetoric for a situation or statement that is or
seems self-contradictory and even absurd but may contain an insight into life
(McArthur, 1996:348)
For example:
The child is the father of the man (the nature of one’s earlier life affects
later ideas and attitudes).
- Personification, is the assigning of human characteristics to non-humans
(Keraf, 2002).
For example:
The moon smiles at us.
The trees are waving to the tiger.
The wind touched my skin.
- Pleonasm, is the use of more words than necessary, either for effect or more
usually as a fault of style (Keraf, 2002).
For example:
Free gift.

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Plan for the future.

- Sarcasm, is a term in rhetoric and general use for sneeringly ironical remarks
(McArthur, 1996:887).
For example:
Oh yes, we know how clever you are.
Well, Mr. Know-it-all, what is the answer this time?
- Simile, is a figure of speech, in which a more or less fanciful or unrealistic
comparison is made, using like or as (McArthur, 1996:935).
For example:
Rumors of his death spread like wildfire (to become known to more and
more people very quickly).
She is like a fish out of water = she is uneasy in an unfamiliar situation.
You’re not going to go storming in there like a bull in a China shop, aren’t
you? = a person who is clumsy, careless, or moves in a very awkward way.
Her skin is as white as snow.
My sister is like a doll.
My brother’s good as gold.
- Synecdoche, is a figure of speech concerned with parts and wholes
(McArthur, 1996:1014).
For example:
His word can be trusted = He is a person that can be trusted.
I won’t let him come under my roof = I won’t let him come to my house.

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CHAPTER III
CLOSURE
A. CONCLUSION
In conclusion, figurative language is language that has a different or
deeper meaning. There are various kinds of figurative language, including
similes, hyperbole, personification, metaphors, and others. Figurative
language is often used in prose such as novels and poetry. The author uses
this language to give the writing a deeper meaning so that the feelings
written can be conveyed to the reader well.

B. SUGGESTION
I hoped that with this figurative language material, we all would
have more insight into literary works. It can increase our interest in
literacy. We will also play a role as young people who can learn and
preserve existing literary works.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Halliday, M. A. K. (1985). An Introduction to Functional Grammar. London: Edward Arnold.


Keraf, Gorys. (2002). Diksi dan Gaya Bahasa. Jakarta: PT. Gramedia Pustaka Utama.
Larson, M. L. (1989). Meaning-Based Translation A Guide to Cross-Language Equivalence
Second Edition. Lanham: University Press.
McArthur, Tom. (ed.) (1992). The Oxford Companion to the English Language. New York:
Oxford University Press.
Wibisono, Radna Tulus & Pratomo Widodo. (2019). An Analysis of Figurative Language in
Online Short Story Posted on The Jakarta Post. Prasasti: Journal of Linguistics, 4(2),
156-165.
Yulianti, N. K. D. (2019). Figurative Language in a Poem Translation. Yogyakarta: Penerbit
Lintang Pustaka Utama.

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