Looking back, when I was younger, I admit to often interpreting language very literally. Because of this, figurative expressions like idioms and metaphors sometimes caused me some degree of confusion, as I expected them to make direct, concrete sense.
For example, when I first heard the idiom “an arm and a leg,” I imagined it literally and did not immediately understand that it means something is very expensive. Similarly, the phrase “hold your breath” made me wonder how people could physically do this for long periods, especially when it is used in everyday conversation.
Over time, I began to understand that figurative language uses imagery and comparison to express meaning in a non-literal way. This shift changed the way I would think about both language and communication.
One example I now find easy to understand is “blossoming relationship”. I remember hearing this once at a wedding some years ago. Here, what I do is, and what you can do to, is to visualise an actual flower or tree blooming and compare this to a positive relationship developing.
Rather than finding idioms and expressions confusing, I now find them fascinating. This has been the case as my language and understanding improved and evolved over the years. They often feel like small stories or ideas hidden within language. Learning their meanings and sometimes their origins feels like exploring something or somewhere unfamiliar, and discovering how it all works and what there may be to find.
This interest has also led me to think more creatively about language. I enjoy imagining short idiom-based stories where characters help each other understand expressions with empathy and clarity. In these stories, for me language becomes a way of not only communicating meaning but also building understanding between people.
Figurative language fascinates me because it reflects how meaning can be created and interpreted. It also shows how understanding can develop over time, and how language can carry both literal and deeper, symbolic meaning. I use it to bring my lived experiences with ASD to life through it, including in my YouTube channel.
For me, it is more than just about learning what words mean. There’s also the understanding how meaning can be built through language, experience, and storytelling.
What phrases have confused you, especially at first? In addition, did you manage to figure them out later?
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