Simile is a concept that refers to similarity.
Simile is a term originating from the Latin word similis that refers to similarity . The concept, therefore, is used to establish a comparison between two things.
For example: "Paula has a hairstyle that looks like a cocker dog that is very nice," "I have a car that looks like a blender: when I drive, it shakes everywhere," "Be careful with those fruits that look like rosehips because they are toxic and "They cannot be eaten."
Simile as a figure of speech
In literature , simile is a rhetorical figure that consists of the express comparison between one thing and another, to give an effective idea of one of them. By establishing the comparison by similarity, the symbolic or physical characteristics of one person are transferred to another.
Unlike the figure of metaphor , similes appeal to relationship elements such as "that" , "as" or "which" . The phrase "His eyes like two emeralds shone in the night" is a simile that draws a parallel between green eyes and precious stones. It is possible to say that the simile is a type of metaphor, although the same does not happen the other way around. This last resource replaces terms with others whose meaning is different, while the first uses them simultaneously.
Similes appear in literary works as a way of transmitting a message and providing a distinctive aesthetic feature: "The intricate streets like a labyrinth delayed the traveler, who could not find the direction that had been indicated to him," "His fists like missiles "The lineman was accompanied by dogs like guardian angels who guarded his steps . "
The idea of simile is based on a comparison.
Its use in everyday life
It should be noted that similes are also used spontaneously in everyday life : "Be careful if you go out at night, the street is pitch black," "Fabio is tall and skinny like a lamp post." In this context, such comparisons can have derogatory overtones or serve to emphasize an idea or advice, for example.
The use of similes in popular language is very common in informal conversations, as opposed to their use in literature, which can express more complex ideas than those seen at first glance. When they are not set phrases, these comparisons are included in oral communication to exaggerate certain observations and often add humorous touches to the speech. It should be noted that not all cultures use this resource in the same proportion.
hydraulic simile
It is known by the name of hydraulic simile to a circuit similar to an electrical one that serves to make water move. In order for the liquid to circulate along a certain path, it is necessary that its level be higher in one of the two tanks used and that the unevenness be maintained with a pump, so that the circulation is carried out continuously.
To understand the comparison with an electrical circuit, it is important to mention that the role that the pump plays in this case (of maintaining the difference in level between both tanks) is played by a battery, which in its context manages the voltage .
The resistance of a hydraulic simile is based on the following three variables: the width of the pipe, the elbows and the narrowings. On the other hand, the intensity of the water passing through the circuit (also known as flow ) depends directly on the height and inversely proportional to the resistance.
In other words, when the head increases, so does the flow rate and, similarly, there is a direct relationship between intensity and voltage. When the pipe section increases, the resistance decreases and the flow rate becomes greater. From this it follows that there is an inversely proportional relationship between intensity and resistance.