figuratiivses

Figuratiivses is a form of the Estonian adjective figuratiivne, used to denote something that belongs to or is understood in a figurative sense. In linguistic and literary analysis, the term describes language and imagery where the meaning is not the literal sense of the words but relies on metaphor, symbolism, or imaginative representation. Expressions in figuratiivses tähenduses are interpreted as figurative rather than direct or factual.

In practice, figuratiivne keel or figuratiivses tähenduses encompasses a range of rhetorical devices, including metaphors, personification, symbols, and figurative comparisons. It is commonly contrasted with literal language, where words are taken at their face value. The distinction is important for interpretation in poetry, prose, journalism, and everyday speech, where figuratiivset kasutust may convey attitudes, emotions, or cultural associations that literal language cannot.

The phrase figuratiivses tähenduses appears in linguistic descriptions to indicate non-literal interpretation, often following nouns such as mõttes, tähenduses, or kasutuses. While figuratiivne and metaforiline are related, figuratiivne is a broader category that includes various non-literal expressions, not only metaphors but also metonymies and symbolic imagery. The concept plays a central role in Estonian rhetoric, literary criticism, and discourse analysis, helping readers and listeners recognize imagery-driven meaning beyond the literal dictionary sense.

Etymology traces figuratiivne to Latin figūra via French figuratif, with usage expanding in Estonian literary and linguistic contexts in the modern period.