analogy
n.-
1 a comparison for explanation (n.) B2 Upper Intermediate Academica comparison between two things that are similar in some way, often used to help someone understand a difficult idea.
a comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification. Often functions as a rhetorical device where a complex system is mapped onto a simpler one.
ExampleThe teacher used the analogy of a busy motorway to explain how the internet works.
ExampleTo explain the concept of electrical current to the students, the professor drew an analogy between the flow of electrons and water moving through a pipe.
UsageCommonly used with the verbs 'draw', 'make', or 'use' and the preposition 'between'.
PitfallHe made an analogy of the human brain and a computer.He drew an analogy between the human brain and a computer.We usually 'draw' or 'make' an analogy 'between' two things.
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2 linguistic pattern (n.) C1 Advanced Academic Technical Sciencethe way new words or grammar rules are created based on patterns that already exist in a language.
the process by which words or forms are created or reformed according to existing patterns in a language. This often explains why irregular verbs sometimes become regular over time.
ExampleChildren often say 'buyed' instead of 'bought' because they are following the analogy of other past tense verbs.
ExampleHistorical linguists often cite analogy as a primary driver for morphological change, as speakers unconsciously apply productive patterns to irregular lexical items.
UsageIn linguistics, this is often an uncountable process.
- regularization
- patterning
From Latin analogia, from Ancient Greek ἀναλογίᾱ (analogíā), from ἀνα- (ana-) + λόγος (lógos, “speech, reckoning”).