Humanitatis: Journal of Language and Literature SK Dirjen DIKTI Nomor 36/E/KPT/2019 Vol.
No.
June 2025, pp.
ISSN (Prin.
: 2338-9362 ISSN (Onlin.
: 2477-2267 An Analysis of Figurative Language in Taylor SwiftAos Songs Angelina Sandjaja* .
Afriana Universitas Putera Batam.
Batam.
Indonesia Received: 17th January 2025 | Revised: 10th February 2025 | Accepted: 18th February 2025 * Corresponding author.
E-mail: pb211210002@upbatam.
Abstract The study aimed to explore the figurative language used in Taylor SwiftAos songs, with an emphasis on identifying the various types of figurative language employed.
The descriptive qualitative research method was used to identify and analyze the figurative language present in the songs of Taylor Swift.
This approach involved a detailed examination of the lyrics, focusing on categorizing and interpreting various forms of figurative language.
Utilizing a theory developed by Greg Johnson and Thomas Roscoe Arp, in collecting the data, the researcher used a non-participation The songs of Taylor Swift served as the object of this investigation.
The findings of this study indicated that 18 data of figurative language were identified and categorized.
The researchers discovered that simile was the most prevalent form of figurative language.
Figurative language was found in several of Taylor SwiftAos songs, including "Red" from the Red album, "Shake It Off" from the 1989 album, "Back to December," "Mean," and "Enchanted" from the Speak Now album, "Cruel Summer" and "Daylight" from the Lover album, "Blank Space" and "Style" from the 1989 album, and "Slut" from the Midnights album.
Keywords: Figurative Language.
Song.
Taylor Swift.
How to Cite:
Sandjaja.
, & Afriana.
An Analysis of Figurative Language in Taylor SwiftAos Songs.
Humanitatis :
Journal of Language and Literature, 11.
, 141-148.
Copyright A2025 The Authors.
This article is published by Universitas Bumigora under the CC BY-SA license.
INTRODUCTION
Song is one of the entertainments in our daily life.
Most people are listening to a song.
Songs are also used for people to communicate to express their emotions.
Some people can increase their mood just by listening to a Besides how entertaining and how people listen to a song in their daily life, the lyric of songs has meaning, and sometimes the meaning of songs is different from the literal interpretation.
Songwriters and composers often employ figurative language in their lyrics to make the music more beautiful and meaningful (Ardhyanti & Supriyatiningsih, 2.
Figurative language is persuasive language Johnson and Arp .
This technique gives a new dimension to the phrase that will pique the readerAos interest.
Figurative language delivers meaning or heightens the effect of words, giving them additional significance, beautifying, and emphasizing their meaning.
The researchers found a phenomenon of figurative language in social media.
Twitter.
An account, @MartaRo97406493, tweeted.
AuYou are my sunshine.
Jimin.
Ay This sentence means that the person.
Jimin, always brightens up the senderAos life .
ee Figure .
This sentence is included as a metaphor, one of the types of figurative language that compares two unlike things.
Online at https://journal.
id/index.
php/humanitatis/ DOI: 10.
30812/humanitatis.
Humanitatis: Journal of Language and Literature SK Dirjen DIKTI Nomor 36/E/KPT/2019 Vol.
No.
June 2025, pp.
ISSN (Prin.
: 2338-9362 ISSN (Onlin.
: 2477-2267 Figure 1.
The Phenomena of Figurative Language Another experience that the researchers found is in the song from singer The Weeknd with the title AuDie for You.
Ay In this song, in line 20, the lyric says.
AuBaby.
I would die for you.
Ay The sentence AuI would die for youAy does not necessarily mean that one person is accurately willing to die for someone, but is used to exaggerate the amount of love one has for another.
AuDieAy is only used to indicate the level of affection.
This sentence is included in hyperbole, one of the types of figurative language.
According to Johnson and Arp .
Hyperbole is an exaggerated expression used to highlight a point or to evoke humor.
This research examined the use of figurative language in several songs by Taylor Swift.
The specific phenomenon that emerged and became an important idea is the researchers found in Taylor SwiftAos song with the title AuRed.
Ay In this song, in the first line, the lyric says.
AuLoving him is like driving a new Maserati down a dead-end Ay.
This sentence is included in simile, one of the types of figurative language that compares two things that are not the same and uses the words "like" or "as," which are commonly used in everyday communication (Johnson & Arp, 2.
Taylor Alison Swift, commonly referred to as Taylor Swift, is a globally recognized singer, songwriter, producer, director, actress, and entrepreneur.
This singer, born on December 13, 1989, in Pennsylvania.
USA, is an exceptional performer because of a series of remarkable successes.
She began her musical career at age 15 and has continued to make amazing successes to this day.
Taylor SwiftAos music is distinguished by her ability to tell her life experiences via honest and profound lyrics.
She also frequently writes about personal situations later translated into songs, allowing her to connect with her followers.
There is some research about figurative language.
The first is by Syafitri and Marlinton .
with the title AuAn Analysis of Figurative Language Used in Edgar Allan PoeAos PoemsAy.
This analysis used descriptive qualitative methods to analyze the data.
Based on the result, in 8 Edgar Allan PoeAos poems (Annabel Lee.
The Sleeper.
A Dream Within A Dream.
Alone.
To One in Paradise.
Spirit of the Dead.
The Lake, and Evening Sta.
, there are 96 figurative languages, with 25 personifications, 6 similes, 16 metaphors, 11 hyperboles, 2 ironies, 9 paradoxes, 6 metonymies, and 21 symbolisms.
There are 42 connotative definitions, 30 social definitions, 16 reflecting definitions, and 8 reflective definitions.
In poetry, collocative meaning can be found as the meaning of figurative language.
The use of figurative language also helps poetry seem more beautiful, and the use of figurative language also draws the readerAos attention to the poem.
The author utilizes metaphorical language carefully in the composition of this poem to reinforce the message.
Another research that analyzes figurative language is by Ambalegin and Arianto .
the title AuFigures of Speech Reflection LoathingAy, which analyzes figurative language from social media Twitter.
This study employed an observational approach and a non-participatory technique for data collection.
Based on the result, simile, metaphor, allusion, and personification are present in the tweet.
Most expressions refer to comparison, and some negative comments or answers express the comparison.
Comments or reactions in a tweeter post that contain unpleasant information assaulting someoneAos face.
Online at https://journal.
id/index.
php/humanitatis/ DOI: 10.
30812/humanitatis.
Humanitatis: Journal of Language and Literature SK Dirjen DIKTI Nomor 36/E/KPT/2019 Vol.
No.
June 2025, pp.
ISSN (Prin.
: 2338-9362 ISSN (Onlin.
: 2477-2267 The previous research and the current study share a common focus on figurative language.
However, the key distinction lies in the data source, as this study utilizes Taylor SwiftAos songs.
Inspired by these two aspects and previous studies, the researcher decided to carry out this investigation.
The study aimed to examine the figurative language used in Taylor SwiftAos songs, focusing on identifying the different types of figurative language present.
the object of this research, the songs "Red," "Back to December," "Mean," and "Enchanted" are from Taylor SwiftAos Red and Speak Now albums, while "Shake It Off," "Blank Space," and "Style" are from 1989.
"Cruel Summer" and "Daylight" appear on Lover, and "Slut" is from Midnights.
Semantics is the branch of linguistics concerned with the meaning of language.
It focuses on analyzing and understanding how meaning is conveyed through words, phrases, and sentences.
Expressions of linguistic things include words, phrases, and sentences.
A linguistic objectAos syntactic arrangement or pronunciation is not an issue or requires special attention.
Figurative language is used when a word or statement has a different meaning than its literal translation (Nursolihat & Kareviati, 2.
Figurative language involves using figures of speech, meaning it consists of expressions that should not .
nd canno.
be interpreted literally (Johnson & Arp, 2.
Here are kinds of Figurative:
Personification Personification is a phrase that describes how inanimate objects mimic human behaviors.
According to Johnson and Arp .
, personification is a figure of speech in which human traits are attributed to animals, objects, or abstract ideas.
For example: AuYour fragrance still penetrates and breaks me downAy Agustina and Mustikawati .
Simile A simile is a figure of speech that compares two fundamentally different things.
It makes a direct comparison based on shared qualities and is typically identified by using words like "like" or "as.
" According to Johnson and Arp .
, a simile is a figure of speech that explicitly compares two fundamentally different things.
Several words or phrases, such as "like," "then," "as," "resembles," "similar to," or "seems," are used to make the contrast For example: AuFeatured like him, like him with friends possessedAy (Yulianda & Sunra, 2.
Metaphor A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes one thing by comparing it directly to another unrelated thing.
Unlike a simile, a metaphor doesnAot use the terms "like" or "as.
" Such a statement only makes sense if the reader knows the relationship between the two objects being compared.
Johnson and Arp .
also stated that metaphor is a figure of speech that implicitly compares two fundamentally different things.
For example: AuThat butterflies were a good omenAy (Harya, 2.
Hyperbole Hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses deliberate exaggeration to highlight a point or to produce a humorous It is utilized to give a statement of depth and color.
It can be used for a serious, sarcastic, or humorous impact (Munte & Afriana, 2.
According to Johnson and Arp .
, overstatement and hyperbole are just exaggerations, but they are exaggerations in defense of the truth.
For example: AuThere ainAot no gold in this riverAy (Swarniti, 2.
Irony Irony is an expression for expressing strong emotions while advocating for a specific cause.
Irony, as defined, is a figure of speech where words are used to convey the opposite of their literal meaning.
For example: AuAnd when youAore feeling down, you know the way to goAy (Milana & Ardi, 2.
Alliteration The repetition of the same consonant at the beginning of one or more closely related words is called alliteration.
It is frequently used to accentuate emotion or to provide a more detailed description.
Johnson and Arp .
Online at https://journal.
id/index.
php/humanitatis/ DOI: 10.
30812/humanitatis.
Humanitatis: Journal of Language and Literature SK Dirjen DIKTI Nomor 36/E/KPT/2019 Vol.
No.
June 2025, pp.
ISSN (Prin.
: 2338-9362 ISSN (Onlin.
: 2477-2267 stated that alliteration is the sound of accented syllables or keywords emphasized by the repetition of starting consonants at regular intervals.
For example: AuBut I can shake it, shake it like IAom supposed to doAy (Loveana et al.
, 2.
Imagery Imagery is using literal or figurative language, which allows readers to imagine the objects depicted in a literary Johnson and Arp .
stated that imagery is representation through sensory experience language.
For example: AuGlitter in the sky, glitter in my eyesAy (Putri et al.
, 2.
RESEARCH METHOD
The researchers used qualitative methods in this study (Creswell, 2.
Identification methods were used by using senses, which are see, listen, and feel.
The data collection process began with the researchers listening to the selected songs and transcribing the lyrics into written form.
Once the lyrics were transcribed, the researchers carefully read through them, highlighting sentences or phrases that contained figurative language.
The technique used in the analysis was adapted from Sudaryanto .
, which is the identify method.
The analysis was adapted from Johnson and Arp .
theory, which is focused on identifying the figurative language according to its type and understanding its function in the lyrics.
Finally, the researcher conveyed the findings by organizing the categorized data into a narrative paragraph format.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
In this sub-chapter, the researcher analyzed the figurative language used in selected songs by Taylor Swift.
The songs chosen for this study include "Red," "Shake It Off," "Back to December," "Cruel Summer," "Mean," "Enchanted," "Blank Space," "Slut," "Daylight," and "Style.
" These songs span across multiple albums, including Red .
, 1989 .
Speak Now .
Lover .
, and Midnights .
The selection of these songs provides a comprehensive representation of SwiftAos lyricism, showcasing her use of various figurative language techniques to convey emotions, themes, and personal experiences.
Through this analysis, a total of 18 data of figurative language were identified.
There were 6 data of simile, 1 data of alliteration, 2 data of personification, 4 data of hyperbole, 2 data of metaphor, and 3 data of imagery.
Data 1 Loving him is like driving a new Maserati down a dead-end street.
The lyric above is from Taylor SwiftAos song Red and uses the word Aulike.
Ay Therefore, this lyric can be categorized as a simile, as it compares AuLoving himAy to Audriving a new Maserati down a dead-end street.
Ay Red is a song about a passionate and intense relationship.
It talks about the strong emotions that come with loveAiboth the happy, exciting moments and the painful, heartbreaking ones.
Swift uses the color red to represent the deep feelings of love and loss.
Data 2 I shake it off.
I shake it off.
The song lyric above is categorized as alliteration in figures of speech.
Alliteration is a form of figurative language, a literary device where the same consonant sound is repeated at the beginning of one or more words in close succession.
In the lyric above, the author uses the same sound and the same sentence.
This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song.
Shake it Off.
Shake It Off is an upbeat, fun song about ignoring negative comments and staying true to yourself.
Swift talks about people criticizing her and others, but the song encourages letting go of those judgments and enjoying life and being yourself.
Data 3 And then the cold came, the dark days when fear crept into my mind.
The song lyric above is categorized as personification in the figure of speech.
The meaning AucreptAy is Online at https://journal.
id/index.
php/humanitatis/ DOI: 10.
30812/humanitatis.
Humanitatis: Journal of Language and Literature SK Dirjen DIKTI Nomor 36/E/KPT/2019 Vol.
No.
June 2025, pp.
ISSN (Prin.
: 2338-9362 ISSN (Onlin.
: 2477-2267 to move slowly to the ground like an insect or reptile or humans like a baby.
It means that fear can creep into someoneAos mind.
This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song.
Back to December.
Back to December is a sad song where Swift apologizes for letting a good relationship slip away.
She reflects on her mistakes and wishes she could go back and change things, showing how much, she regrets losing someone she loved.
Data 4 I miss your tanned skin, your sweet smile, so good to me so right, and how you held me in your arms that September night, the first time you ever saw me cry.
The song lyric above is categorized as imagery in figures of speech.
Imagery is one of the figurative languages used to describe objects from the physical senses.
In this lyric, the writer is trying to describe the man in the song "Back to December.
Data 5 And I cried like a baby cominAo home from the bar.
The above lyrics are included in a simile.
This can be seen from the lyrics above, which compare "I" to Aua babyAy that cried.
This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song "Cruel Summer.
" Cruel Summer is a fast-paced, emotional song about a hot, intense romance that comes with both excitement and pain.
Swift sings about the thrill of being in love but also the difficult and secretive parts of the relationship that make it hard.
Data 6 He looks up, grinning like a devil.
The song lyrics above are included in the simile.
This is because the lyric above compares AuheAy and Audevil.
Ay This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song.
Cruel Summer.
Data 7 You can take me down with just one single blow.
The song lyrics above are included in hyperbole.
If we see the songAos meaning, "Blow" here is not meant to be a blow but rather a malicious comment that people give to the author.
He meant that their bad opinion had made her very sad.
This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song.
Mean.
Mean is a song about standing up to bullies and Swift sings about people who try to bring her down, but instead of getting upset, she turns it into a message of strength, showing that their words do not really matter in the end the result of this analysis.
Data 8 IAoll spend forever wondering if you knew.
I was enchanted to meet you.
The lyrics of the song above fall into hyperbole because she wants to spend forever wondering whether "you" know that she was amazed to meet him.
This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song "Enchanted.
" Enchanted is a sweet song about the feeling of falling in love for the first time.
Swift sings about meeting someone new and feeling an instant connection, hoping the other person feels the same way.
Data 9 My thoughts will echo your name until I see you again.
The song lyrics above are included in personification.
Thoughts are the act of considering or thinking about something, a concept or opinion, or a group of thoughts regarding a specific issue.
So, it means that AothoughtsAy cannot echo anything.
This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song.
Enchanted.
Data 10 Missing him was dark grey all alone.
The song lyrics above are included in the metaphor because the author compares unrelated things, "Missing him" and "dark gray all alone.
" This describes that the author lost someone and missed him, like facing winter, darkness, and loneliness.
This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song "Red.
Online at https://journal.
id/index.
php/humanitatis/ DOI: 10.
30812/humanitatis.
Humanitatis: Journal of Language and Literature SK Dirjen DIKTI Nomor 36/E/KPT/2019 Vol.
No.
June 2025, pp.
ISSN (Prin.
: 2338-9362 ISSN (Onlin.
: 2477-2267 Data 11 Tell myself itAos time now gotta let go, but moving on from him is impossible.
The song lyrics above are hyperbole because the author considers moving on from him to be impossible even though it has not been done.
This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song "Red.
Data 12 Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you never met.
The song lyrics above are included in the simile because they compare "Forgetting him" to "trying to know somebody you never met.
" This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song "Red.
Data 13 I can read you like a magazine.
The song lyrics above are included in the simile because they compare "I can read you" to "a magazine.
This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song "Blank Space.
" Blank Space is a playful song in which Swift pokes fun at the way the media portrays her love life.
She imagines herself as a "crazy" lover and sings about the ups and downs of relationships with a cheeky, sarcastic tone.
Data 14 LoveAos a game, wanna play? The song lyrics above are included in the metaphor because they compare two unrelated things that are not the same, namely "Love" and "Game.
" This statement means that love is a game.
This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song.
Blank Space.
Data 15 Rose garden filled with thorns.
The song lyrics above include imagery, describing a rose garden filled with thorns, which depicts a relationship full of love, but both hurt each other.
This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song.
Blank Space.
Data 16 And if IAom gonna be drunk.
I might as well be drunk in love.
The song lyrics above are hyperbole because they state that the author is intoxicated by love or is in love.
This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song.
Slut.
Slut is a bold song that talks about how women are often judged for their actions, especially when it comes to love and relationships.
Swift stands up against these double standards, taking control of how others see her.
Data 17 My love was as cruel as the city I lived in.
The song lyrics above are included in the simile because they compare AuMy love was cruelAy to Authe city I lived in.
Ay This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song AuDaylight.
Ay Daylight is a song about finding peace after going through hard times.
Swift sings about how love has helped her heal and grow and how sheAos finally seeing things clearly and feeling happy again.
Data 18 You got that James Dean daydream look in your eyes, and I got that red lips classic thing that you like.
The song lyric above is categorized as imagery in figures of speech.
In this lyric, the author describes his ex.
Harry Styles, as looking like James Dean.
This lyric is taken from Taylor SwiftAos song.
Style.
Style is a song about a relationship thatAos complicated but also magnetic.
Swift sings about a love that keeps drawing her back in, even though itAos not always easy.
The song captures the mix of attraction and longing between two people who canAot quite let go of each other.
Online at https://journal.
id/index.
php/humanitatis/ DOI: 10.
30812/humanitatis.
Humanitatis: Journal of Language and Literature SK Dirjen DIKTI Nomor 36/E/KPT/2019 Vol.
No.
June 2025, pp.
ISSN (Prin.
: 2338-9362 ISSN (Onlin.
: 2477-2267 The analysis of figurative language in Taylor SwiftAos songs reveals how effectively she uses literary devices to convey deep emotions and complex themes.
Whether expressing the pain of lost love, the empowerment of shaking off negativity, or the excitement of new beginnings.
SwiftAos use of figurative languageAisuch as similes, alliteration, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, and imageryAienhances the emotional impact of her lyrics.
Through these tools, she creates vivid, relatable stories that connect with her audience on a personal level, making her music catchy and rich with meaning.
The findings from this study highlight the significance of figurative language in SwiftAos songwriting and its role in storytelling, which has made her a global music icon.
This study aligns with earlier research, including studies by Syafitri and Marlinton .
and Ambalegin and Arianto .
, which focus on figurative language.
However, it sets itself apart by specifically analyzing figurative language in Taylor SwiftAos songs, as outlined in the study An Analysis of Figurative Language in Taylor SwiftAos Songs.
CONCLUSION
Figures of speech or figurative language are frequently used in literary works to provide readers with an aesthetic effect.
The song writer is able to express their feelings on songs.
Sometimes, songs have a lot of figurative language to make it more aesthetic so it cannot be translated in literal.
Taylor SwiftAos songs contained figurative 6 data of simile, 1 data of alliteration, 2 data of personification, 4 data of hyperbole, 2 data of metaphor, and 3 data of imagery.
The most dominant data that the researchers has found is simile.
The researcher found figurative language in some songs of Taylor SwiftAos, which are Red.
Shake it Off.
Back to December.
Cruel Summer.
Mean.
Enchanted.
Blank Space.
Slut.
Daylight, and Style.
REFERENCES