What is a metaphor?
Q: What is a metaphor?
A: A metaphor is a figure of speech that does not use words in their literal sense, but instead uses them to make an indirect comparison.
Q: How do metaphors work?
A: Metaphors take a word from its original context and use it in another. For example, "I beat him with a stick" has the literal meaning of 'beat', while "I beat him in an argument" has the metaphorical meaning of 'beat'.
Q: Are metaphors essential for language?
A: Yes, it is not possible to speak or write without using metaphors.
Q: Can you give an example of a metaphor?
A: An example of a metaphor would be the word "run", which can mean both "moving quickly" and also have many other uses as verbs, nouns and phrases.
Q: What is the difference between similes and metaphors?
A: The main difference between similes and metaphors is that similes are direct comparisons that use 'like' or 'as', such as "Jane is like a child". Metaphors on the other hand make indirect comparisons without using these words.
Q: Is poetry full of metaphors?
A: Yes, poetry usually includes more metaphors than prose.
Q: Where did the term ‘spam’ come from originally?
A: The term 'spam' was originally derived from 'Spam', which was a type of canned meat. It was suggested by Monty Python scene where servers put unwanted Spam into food - similarly email users receive unwanted emails into their inboxes.
