Figures of Identity

To this group of figures simile and synonymic repetition are referred.

Simile. It is an explicit statement concerning the similarity, the affinity of two different notions. The purpose of this confrontation of the names of two different objects is to characterize vividly one of the two. One of the two co-occurring denominations is the name of the object really spoken about; the other denomination is that of an object not connected with the first objective reality but having certain features in common with the first object. E.g.:

“ That fellow (first object) is LIKE an old fox (second object)”.

The existence of common features is always explicitly expressed in a simile, mostly by means of the words «as», «like» I others.

There are two type of simile. In one of them the common feature of the two objects is mentioned:

"He is as beautiful as a weathercock». In the second type the common feature is not mentioned; the hearer is supposed to guess what features the two objects have in common:

“My heart is like a singing bird».

Care should be taken not to confuse the simile and any sort of elementary

Logical comparison. A simile presupposes confrontation

of two objects belonging to radically different semantic spheres; a comparison deals with two objects of the same semantic sphere:

«She can sing like a professional actress» (logical comparison);

«She sings like a nightingale» (simile).

Synonymic repetition. To figures of identity we may refer the use of synonyms denoting the same object of reality and occurring in the given segment of text. We should distinguish:

1. the use of synonyms of precision,

2. the use of synonymic variations.

Synonyms of precision. Two or more synonyms may follow one another to characterize the object in a more precise way. The second synonym expresses some additional feature of the notion; both synonyms permit a fuller expression of it. E.g.:

«Joe was a mild, good-natured, sweet-tempered, easy-going, foolish fellow» (Dickens).

Synonymic variations. Frequently synonyms or synonymic expressions are used instead of the repetition of the same word or the same expression to avoid the monotonousness of speech, as excessive repetition of the same word makes the style poor. E.g.:

«He brought home numberless prizes. He told his mother countless stories every night about his school companions» (Thackeray).