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Non-literal meaning is a kind of meaning which means something different from what the word means. Non-literal meaning occurs when the speaker means different from the
word or sentences really means. In the other words, when a speaker speak a word or a sentence, which implies the different meaning from its real meaning and that is the time for
the speaker to speak non literally. In addition, the word or sentence which is spoken by the speaker had hidden meaning besides the lexical meaning.
Saeed 1974:16 Says: “non-literal uses of language are traditionally called figurative and are described by a host of rhetorical terms including Metaphor, irony, metonymy,
synecdoche, hyperbole, and litotes. Figurative language is used to express or utter an idea or thought in order to make the
sentences attractive to be read and it can stimulate the emoticon of the reader or listener and also to make the sentence beautiful and flowery.
There are several types of non-literal meaning or figurative language expression, namely: personification, irony, simile, litotes, hyperbole and metaphor.
2.7.1 Personification
Personification consists of giving the human characteristic to an object. Personification originally come from Latin word ‘persona’ meaning ‘person’, ‘actor’ or mask
used in the theater and ‘fic’ means to make.
Shaw 1927 : 283 says, “Personification is a figure of speech which abstraction, animal, ideas and inanimate object are having human forms, characters, trait or sensibilities”.
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Keraf 1980 : 244 states, “Personifikasi adalah gaya bahasa yang melekatkan sifat- sifat insane kepada barang yang tidak bernyawa dan ide yang abstrak”
For example:
“The stars are envious of your eyes”. The word ‘stars’ is the inanimate object is depicted as human. Stars are envious of your eyes, because her eyes are more beautiful than
the stars which shine in every night.
“The wind speaks in the whisper”. The word “speak” is the characteristic of human, and to be able to speak it need the mouth to make we can speak, while the wind is not have a
mouth so that it is impossible that the wind can speak in whisper.
2.7.2 Irony
Irony is facetious, sarcastical way of speaking. Gray says 1984 : 108, irony is a manner of speaking or writing that is dispered through all kinds of literature. Irony consists of
saying one thing while it means other. Keraf 1980 : 240 states, “irony adalah gaya bahasa yang mengatakan makna yang
betentangan dengan maksud berolok-olok. Irony is a figure of speech when an expression used is the opposite of the thought in the speaker’s mind, thus conveying a meaning.
Etymologically, the word ‘irony’ derived from the Greek word ‘eironeia’ meaning ‘deception’ or trick’
There is some argument about what qualities as ironic, but all senses of irony revolve around the perceived notion of an incongruity between what is said and what is said and what
is meant, or between an understanding or expectation of a reality and what actually happens.
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For example: “Your room is clean”
The expression above can be considered above can be considered as Irony when the expression above is uttered to the person who has the dirty room.
2.7.3 Simile
