LessonsFamiliar and Remote Simile: Detail, Conditional Resemblance, and Rhetorical AcceptanceQuiz

A simile may be easy because one conspicuous attribute is enough to establish its point. Alternatively, its model may have been recalled so often that its connection is recognized with little explanation.

In the first case, little detail makes the transition simple. In the second, habitual mental presence makes it simple. Even a configuration containing several elements may feel immediate if the association is deeply familiar.

Thus “few features” does not always equal “familiar,” and “many features” does not automatically equal “remote.” The causes must be considered independently.

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Few details versus frequent recollection

Familiar and Remote Simile: Detail, Conditional Resemblance, and Rhetorical Acceptance

A simile may be easy because one conspicuous attribute is enough to establish its point. Alternatively, its model may have been recalled so often that its connection is recognized with little explanation.

In the first case, little detail makes the transition simple. In the second, habitual mental presence makes it simple. Even a configuration containing several elements may feel immediate if the association is deeply familiar.

Thus “few features” does not always equal “familiar,” and “many features” does not automatically equal “remote.” The causes must be considered independently.