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Lana Del Rey Song Teaches about Figurative Language

时间:2022-05-02 23:49:28

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(单词翻译)

Lana Del Rey Song Teaches about Figurative Language

It has been 10 years since American music artist Lana Del Rey released Born to Die, the album that made her a star. Since then, the singer-songwriter has released six more records, including two within the last year.

Today on Everyday Grammar, we will explore the figurative language used in a song from Del Rey's 2021 album, Blue Banisters. The song, Arcadia, is filled with similes2, metaphors4 and even appositives as metaphors.

"My body is a map of LA

I stand straight like an angel, with a halo...

... In Arcadia, Arcadia

All roads that lead to you as integral to me as arteries5

That pump the blood that flows straight to the heart of me

America, America..."

We can start by discussing some basic structures in similes, metaphors, and appositives.

Similes

You might have learned in an earlier report of Everyday Grammar that similes use the words "like" or "as" to describe an indirect comparison between two nouns. Similes can use linking verbs such as "to be." Similes can also use the preposition "like" or the adverb "as" to make the comparison.

For example:

Her hair is golden like the sun.

In this example we use "is" as our linking verb and "like" as our preposition to describe her hair, comparing it to the golden color of the sun.

We could also use "as" for this sentence, but the meaning and structure is different.

Her hair is as golden as the sun.

We use the adverb "as" to make the comparison of the amount or level to which something is as something else.

Metaphors

Metaphors are comparisons using the linking verb "to be." Since there is no preposition or adverb, the comparison between the two nouns is more direct.

Metaphors are still considered figurative language, so the meaning is not literal, even though there is a direct comparison.

Let us look at an example.

The vacation was a dream.

In this example, we are comparing the vacation to a dream. We use the linking verb "to be" in the past tense.

We know that the vacation was not a dream; it happened. This metaphor3 means that the vacation was really pleasurable or relaxing.

Appositives as metaphors

Appositives are nouns or noun phrases that go beside another noun (sometimes the subject) in a sentence to describe it.

For example, we can say:

Lana Del Rey, the famous singer, released two albums last year.

The appositive in this sentence is "the famous singer," and it describes the subject, Lana Del Rey.

If we use commas around the appositive, the information is not necessary, but it creates more meaning. If we do not use commas, the information is necessary. We need it to understand the sentence fully6.

The singer Lana Del Rey has sold millions of albums.

In this sentence, we need the appositive, Lana Del Rey, to know who the singer is. We do not need the commas.

Sometimes we can use the appositive structure to create a metaphor.

Let us use our previous metaphor to create an appositive metaphor structure:

The vacation, a dream, was so relaxing.

Here the metaphor is still the same, but we are using an appositive structure. The vacation is our subject, and the dream is the appositive. It is giving more information in a metaphorical7 way about the vacation.

Arcadia

Now let us look at the beginning of Del Rey's song Arcadia, from her Blue Banisters album for metaphors, similes and appositives as metaphors.

"My body is a map of LA

I stand straight like an angel, with a halo..."

The first line of the song is a metaphor!

"My body is a map of LA..."

Lana compares herself to a map of Los Angeles, a city in California where she lives.

Note the linking verb "is." It connects the subject to the rest of the metaphor.

In the next line, we can see that there is another structure we know, a simile1.

"I stand straight like an angel, with a halo..."

Lana is comparing her posture8, standing9 straight up, to an angel.

These two lines are connected because Los Angeles is known as the "city of angels."

And finally, we have another simile and an appositive as a metaphor.

"In Arcadia, Arcadia

All roads that lead to you as integral to me as arteries

That pump the blood that flows straight to the heart of me

America, America..."

The simile, "All roads that lead to you as integral to me as arteries," compares the roads that she travels on to the arteries that keep the blood moving in her body. She uses the adverb, "as" to describe that the roads are just as important to keeping her alive as the system of her heart and her arteries.

The appositive structure is not as clear based on the line structure, but from Lana singing the lyrics10, we can understand that she is also comparing her heart to America.

"... to the heart of me America, America..."

Here the appositive of her heart and America act as a metaphor. She is saying her heart is America.

We know throughout many of Lana's lyrics that "Americana" or American cultural ideas, is very important to her music.

Closing thoughts

Today, we looked at several kinds of figurative language in Arcadia. This song is filled with other similes that use the adverb "as" and preposition "like," metaphors using the linking verb "to be," and appositive structures.

Let us end this report with some homework. Listen closely to some favorite songs in English. Search for examples of similes, metaphors, or appositives and write them down. Then, play with the words! We think learning to use figurative language in English is always more fun with a soundtrack!

Words in This Story

decade – n. a period of 10 years

Arcadia – n. a city in the US state of California near Los Angeles

banisters – n. handrails on stairs, steps, or a balcony

figurative – adj. abstract or symbolic11, or not literal

similes – n. a phrase that uses the words like or as to describe someone or something by comparing it with someone or something else that is similar

metaphors – n. a word or phrase for one thing that is used to refer to another thing in order to show they are similar

appositives – n. nouns or noun phrases that go directly beside another noun (sometimes the subject) in a sentence to describe it.

angel – n. a spiritual being that serves especially as a messenger from God or as a guardian12 of human beings

halo – n. a circle of light that is shown in a religious painting, drawing, etc., around the head of a holy figure (such as an angel, saint, or god) — often used figuratively

integral – adj. necessary, important, or essential

arteries – n. large pathways in the body that help to move blood with oxygen from the heart throughout the body.

literal – adj. involving the ordinary or usual meaning of a word

relaxing – adj. restful and enjoyable

posture – n. the way in which your body is positioned when you are sitting or standing


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 simile zE0yB     
n.直喻,明喻
参考例句:
  • I believe this simile largely speaks the truth.我相信这种比拟在很大程度上道出了真实。
  • It is a trite simile to compare her teeth to pearls.把她的牙齿比做珍珠是陈腐的比喻。
2 similes b25992fa59a8fef51c217d0d6c0deb60     
(使用like或as等词语的)明喻( simile的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Similes usually start with "like" or "as". 明喻通常以like或as开头。
  • All similes and allegories concerning her began and ended with birds. 要比仿她,要模拟她,总得以鸟类始,还得以鸟类终。
3 metaphor o78zD     
n.隐喻,暗喻
参考例句:
  • Using metaphor,we say that computers have senses and a memory.打个比方,我们可以说计算机有感觉和记忆力。
  • In poetry the rose is often a metaphor for love.玫瑰在诗中通常作为爱的象征。
4 metaphors 83e73a88f6ce7dc55e75641ff9fe3c41     
隐喻( metaphor的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • I can only represent it to you by metaphors. 我只能用隐喻来向你描述它。
  • Thus, She's an angel and He's a lion in battle are metaphors. 因此她是天使,他是雄狮都是比喻说法。
5 arteries 821b60db0d5e4edc87fdf5fc263ba3f5     
n.动脉( artery的名词复数 );干线,要道
参考例句:
  • Even grafting new blood vessels in place of the diseased coronary arteries has been tried. 甚至移植新血管代替不健康的冠状动脉的方法都已经试过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • This is the place where the three main arteries of West London traffic met. 这就是伦敦西部三条主要交通干线的交汇处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
7 metaphorical OotzLw     
a.隐喻的,比喻的
参考例句:
  • Here, then, we have a metaphorical substitution on a metonymic axis. 这样,我们在换喻(者翻译为转喻,一种以部分代替整体的修辞方法)上就有了一个隐喻的替代。
  • So, in a metaphorical sense, entropy is arrow of time. 所以说,我们可以这样作个比喻:熵像是时间之矢。
8 posture q1gzk     
n.姿势,姿态,心态,态度;v.作出某种姿势
参考例句:
  • The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
  • He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣,摆出一副打架的架势。
9 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
10 lyrics ko5zoz     
n.歌词
参考例句:
  • music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
  • The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。
11 symbolic ErgwS     
adj.象征性的,符号的,象征主义的
参考例句:
  • It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
  • The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。
12 guardian 8ekxv     
n.监护人;守卫者,保护者
参考例句:
  • The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
  • The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

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