ABSTRACT
By popular definition, literature is the creative use of language; and this, in the context of general linguistic description, can be equated with the use of unorthodox or deviant forms of language. The essential prerequisite of the linguist's approach to literature is that he should have means to assign different degrees of generality to his statements about language. No linguistic warranty can be found for metaphor: instead, the compensatory connexion is to be sought outside language, in some kind of psychological, emotional or perceptual relation between the literal and figurative meanings of the items concerned. A linguistic classification of literary figures can proceed from the most general distinctions towards the most specific; but the only complete classification would be that which gave a separate characterization of each unique deviation. The linguistic/non-linguistic distinction applies to the reinforcement of schematic figures.
