Figurative Senses of Lexical Items
Rachel Mozzone
Types of
Figurative
Language
Euphemism
Hyperbole
Metonymy
Figurative
Language
Synecdoche
Idioms
Metonymy: Involving Association
Types of Association:
o Spatial
 Temporal
 Logical
Representation
 Responsibility
Examples:
“The kettle is boiling.”
“Obama outlawed my
cigarettes.”
People, attributes and
objects are substituted
for what the speaker is
actually talking about.
Euphemisms are metonyms
that are used to avoid
unpleasant or offensive
language…
Synecdoche: Part-Whole Relationships
When part of a category
or member of a class is
used to represent the
whole group.
Idioms
“Expressions of at least two
words which cannot be
understood literally and
which function as a unit
semantically”.
SPANISH:
o “Cada quien tiene su manera
de matar pulgas.” (There are 2
ways to skin a cat)
o “El hijo de la gato, ratones
mata.” (Like father like son)
o “La media narañja” (My other
half)
ASL:
???
Translation Options:
Like secondary senses, translations are not literal
Example: “The kettle is boiling.”
• Nonfiguratively: making the meaning clear by
taking away any figurative sense
 “The water is boiling.”
• Adding sense to the word (especially if
emotion or impact would be lost otherwise).
 “The water inside the kettle is boiling.”
• Substitute an expression of the receptor
language for one in the source language.
 “¿…?”
Euphemisms & Hyperboles
Most often, euphemisms are
used to talk about sex, death,
and the supernatural.
Recognize the importance of
the euphemistic expression
Translate with appropriate
expression in target language
(euphemistic if possible)
It may be appropriate not to
use a euphemism in some
languages.
Hyperboles Include
more than what the
speaker literally
means; exaggeration is
deliberate, for effect.
 Take care to translate the effect
as well as the actual meaning
(i.e., you are not really starving).
¡¡¡GAME!!!