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Figurative diction

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Language that uses figures of speech, such as metaphor or simile, to convey meaning beyond the literal

Detailed Definition
Figurative diction employs non-literal language—such as metaphor, simile, personification, or synesthesia—to convey meaning indirectly through imaginative association; in poetry, this technique enriches sensory experience, deepens emotional resonance, and allows complex ideas to be expressed with concision and vividness, inviting readers to interpret layers of symbolic significance.
Example
Example in poetry:
Figurative diction: "Her eyes were emeralds lit from within"; "Time is a thief in velvet gloves"; "The city coughed smoke into the dawn"; "His anger was a caged tiger pacing"; "Hope is a fragile bird with broken wings"; "Grief wore a cloak of endless rain."
Additional Notes
Figurative diction uses metaphor, simile, and personification to convey meaning indirectly; students should avoid mixed metaphors and ensure figures serve theme—practice replacing literal statements with vivid equivalents to deepen resonance; essential for moving beyond exposition into poetic language.
Also Known As
metaphorical language tropological diction symbolic expression poetic figuration Abstract language
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