ABSTRACT
Linguistic utterances can convey figurative and other non-literal forms of meaning. They include metaphors, idioms, sarcasm, and proverbs, but also hyperbole (overstatement) and understatement. The pragmatic functions of these utterances vary considerably. Sarcasm can express ironic intent. The speaker who utters What a delightful child! in the presence of a disruptive five-year-old boy believes that the child in question is anything but delightful. Hyperbole and understatement can introduce humour into a conversation (e.g. It seems to be raining uttered during a monsoon), while idioms allow speakers to avoid direct mention of certain topics like death and dying (e.g. Bill kicked the bucket). Proverbs like A stitch in time saves nine and metaphors such as Sally and John were angels for their grandmother permit speakers to express some time-honoured wisdom and a collection of attributes, respectively, that are not so succinctly expressed through literal language. This chapter examines these non-literal forms of language and their relationship to conventional aspects of language.
