I have never heard of the phrase “hand over fist[1].” My husband used it recently.  When he did, I instantly got this image of my hand going over my fist like a contortionist.  I couldn’t help but laugh and then questioned him how this could possibly be relevant to losing or making huge amounts of money.  He had used the phrase to mean losing or bleeding money profusely.

I couldn’t get my head around the visual image or suitability of the phrase.  It piqued my interest. The wise one, the all-knowing Dr Google described “hand over fist” as an idiom, and defined idiom as being different from the actual meaning of the words. I had a brief ‘aha’ moment. So an idiom is a bunch of words that are not meant to be taken literally, as I did in this instance.

I learnt English at school, and as part of grammar I was introduced to idioms, proverbs, sayings, similes, metaphors etc., etc. I remember them as figurative language used to describe situations, people, feelings, actions and events. I also remember not being able to tell them apart as they seem to differ ever so slightly. Or it could just be me being daft as a brush (another one of my husband’s sayings that he inherited from his grandmother).

Figurative language is to a writer what a paintbrush is to an artist[2]. To me, figurative expression is one of the more interesting aspects of English grammar. It is such a clever use of words to explain things more vividly with imagery. Although English is not my first language, I know and use a fair number of idioms (obviously not “hand over fist”), metaphors and sayings in everyday conversation. Many older folk in Malaysia tend to use figures of speech to describe someone or something more succinctly as it usually conjures up an image or mental picture. 

Not having heard of ‘hand over fist’ ever before, spurred me to reacquaint myself with figurative language. I like the idioms “on the ball” and “playing it by ear” because true to its definition, these idioms don’t give anything away. The words don’t shed any light singularly or collectively, especially to a non-native English speaker. Imagine trying to use Google translate or an English-Bahasa Malaysia dictionary for each word and trying to make sense of the phrase. Good luck! “On the ball” refers to someone who understands a situation well and is efficient while “playing it by ear” means improvising instead of having a definite plan. These idioms make no sense and yet they do perfectly once you know what they mean.

A metaphor makes an implicit comparison between two things that are not alike or related but have some common characteristics. When a little unsure, examples help. “He is a wet blanket so let’s not share the good news with him” and “the manager is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” “Wet blanket[3]” alludes to how a wet blanket is used to put out a fire; a person who is a wet blanket tends to suck the joy of something fun or enjoyable. The phrase “wolf in sheep’s clothing” talks about people who are not what they appear to be. They cleverly hide their bad feelings and intentions under the guise of kindness. Metaphors are fun because they make us ponder over associations that we might not have considered before.  Another good one that we are all too familiar with is, “she is drowning in paperwork” – a dramatic mental imagery of dealing with a lot of work and trying to keep afloat in a body of water.

I am sure I have used many a simile without realising it.  A simile is quite similar to a metaphor except that a simile uses the words like or as to show a direct comparison.  I use similes to describe my inability to remember things, “my memory is like a sieve” and to the state of my eye sight “I am as blind as a bat.”  Other examples are “he is young so he sleeps like a log,” “he can carry anything because he is as strong as an ox” and “she had food poisoning so she was as sick as a dog.”   

Figurative language is also prevalent in Tamil and in Bahasa Malaysia. These are two languages that I understand and speak, but don’t write much.  To my excitement, my mum recited Tamil figurative language that conveys hidden, subtle and caustic meanings that continues to be used widely in conversation amongst the Tamil speaking populace.  The same applies to Bahasa Malaysia which is rich in sayings and proverbs. I am quite certain the same rings true for many other languages in the world.   

I am still not sure if I know an idiom from a metaphor. What I do know is I have a library of figurative language in the deep recesses of my mind, which gets jolted into action now and again. And, I am able to spew them in the correct context in conversation, to describe and emphasise a situation, person or thing.  Isn’t language fun?  It is such a powerful and colourful tool to use to love, laugh, enjoy and unite.