Previously on figures of speech
Irony
This is the figure of speech that is used when the speaker/writer means the opposite of what is said. It can also be said to be the gap between what is said (by the speaker) and what is meant or what is intended. For an irony to be properly understood, there has to be a shared field of knowledge (sometimes, cultural or socio-cultural, socio-political, etc) between the speaker and the listener(s). If that isn't the case, the meaning or effect of the irony can be lost on the listener(s). Let's take some examples.
Dad is the most generous man I have seen.
If this is intended to be an irony, the speaker will have to guess the meaning of the expression from the context or have a shared understanding with the speaker to discern that the speaker meant the exact opposite of has been said.
A speaker who intends to mock a colleague of theirs could say:
Oh, Junior? He's such a brilliant boy! (Meanwhile, the unlucky lad is regarded among his peers as the exact opposite.)
From the example above, it's obvious that one of the functions of irony is to mock or poke fun at something, someone or a situation. Another function is to avoid being deliberately explicit with certain details which may be (assumed to be) obvious in the first place to the listener(s).
There are different types of irony. The commonest are dramatic irony and verbal irony. However, that isn't our focus.
Rhetorical Question
When a speaker uses rhetorical question, no obvious answer is anticipated. Rhetorical question is usually common in dramatic monologue. Sometimes, the speaker isn't addressing anyone in particular. For example, Why was I so stupid? God, why me?
William Shakespeare writes in the opening lines of one of his sonnets - Sonnet 18 using rhetorical question:
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Euphemism
This type of figure of speech has been explicitly explained in the link below.
Hyperbole
This figure of speech is used to exaggerate a truth. For instance, you wanted to know how well-attended a party you missed was. Your friend who was at the party then replied:
There was nobody that wasn't at the party!
This is an obvious use of exaggeration to describe how well-attended the party was. Given the context in which this exaggeration was used, even you making the enquiry wasn't at the party. So, how come your friend now said, 'There was nobody that wasn't at the party'.
When a speaker/writer uses hyperbole, the intention of the speaker or writer is not to deceive but to overemphasis the truth or to describe the truth with some extravagance.
A poet wanted to describe how profusely sweating some traditional dancers were and wrote thus, that, they were dripping drums of sweat. That's just an exaggeration!
Examples of hyperbole include:
i. The world stood still during the burial of the international statesman.
ii. Everybody knows Drake is a liar.
iii. He has read all the books in the world.
You can now order for (soft/hard) copies of my book on English sounds, A Text of English Sounds.
For questions, comments and any other enquiries, the writer, Olabanji O. Odurombi, can be contacted on 08037699294 (SMS, Voice call, or WhatsApp).
Thank you for reading.
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