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Guest Posted 23 years ago
Grammar
Idioms vs. metaphors
I am having a problem differentiating between a metaphor and an idiom. Is there a quick and dirty way to tell the difference?
Top answer
Idioms are peculiar. Even if one knows all the words that make one up, the meaning must be learned. That is, understanding the meanings of "get" and "along" individually does not really help in deciphering that "get along" can mean "to be friends with".
- Idioms are peculiar.
- Even if one knows all the words that make one up, the meaning must be learned.
- That is, understanding the meanings of "get" and "along" individually does not really help in deciphering that "get along" can mean "to be friends with".
- Metaphors, on the other hand, create images in a reader's mind.
- If you know all the words that make up a metaphor, you have a good chance of getting the intended image.
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27 Answers
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Idioms are peculiar. Even if one knows all the words that make one up, the meaning must be learned.
That is, understanding the meanings of "get" and "along" individually does not really help in deciphering that "get along" can mean "to be friends with".
Metaphors, on the other hand, create images in a reader's mind. If you know all the words that make up a metaphor, you have a
That is, understanding the meanings of "get" and "along" individually does not really help in deciphering that "get along" can mean "to be friends with".
Metaphors, on the other hand, create images in a reader's mind. If you know all the words that make up a metaphor, you have a
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AnonymousMy girlfriend is a bit of a tough cookie. Metaphor or Idiom?Probably just an idiom, I guess...
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AnonymousMy girlfriend is a bit of a tough cookie. Metaphor or Idiom?Both. Many idioms begin their existence as metaphors. If nearly everyone finds them clever, interesting, and/or useful, they become a fixed part of the language and are enshrined forever as idioms!
CJ
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It's actually neither. It's a simile.
(Simile = A comparison using "like" or "as".)
(Simile = A comparison using "like" or "as".)
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In what way is she "like a tough cookie"?
Is she half-baked? No. That would be like a soft cookie, I suppose.
Or is she all dried out and stale? Maybe she needs to be dunked in coffee or hot chocolate. Or used as a doorstop.
CJ
Is she half-baked? No. That would be like a soft cookie, I suppose.
Or is she all dried out and stale? Maybe she needs to be dunked in coffee or hot chocolate. Or used as a doorstop.
CJ
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