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Non-figurative

Adjective
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

Describing language that is literal and avoids metaphor, simile, or other figures of speech

Detailed Definition
Non-figurative poetry emphasizes literal description and denotative language, avoiding metaphor, simile, and symbolic abstraction to present objects, actions, or scenes with objective clarity; associated with Imagism and certain modernist practices, it seeks to capture the “thing itself” through precise diction and sensory immediacy, trusting perception over interpretation.
Example
Example in poetry:
William Carlos Williams’ “This Is Just To Say” uses non-figurative, direct language; “The rose is red, the violet blue” in didactic verse avoids metaphor; Scientific haiku often use non-figurative description; “A crow lands on a fence post” states fact without embellishment
Additional Notes
Non-figurative poetry avoids metaphor, simile, and other figurative language, relying on literal description and direct statement; associated with Objectivist and some minimalist traditions.
Also Known As
Literal Verse Descriptive Poetry Objective Language Unembellished Diction Literal
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