The Figurative Language found in Taylor Swift’s Song in the Folklore Album

Abstract

This study describes the use of figurative language in selected songs from Taylor Swift’s Folklore album. The research focuses on identifying and interpreting various types of figurative language found in six selected songs, namely Cardigan, The 1, Mirrorball, My Tears Ricochet, The Last Great American Dynasty, and Invisible String. This study employs a qualitative descriptive method, using song lyrics as the primary data source. The data were collected through documentation techniques from official lyric sources and analyzed by identifying, classifying, and interpreting figurative expressions based on literary and linguistic theories. The finding reveal that the songs contain several types of figurative language, including metaphor, hyperbole, personification, symbolism, simile, and irony. Among these, metaphor appears as the most dominant type, reflecting emotions, memories, relationships, and life experiences through symbolic imagery. Hyperbole and personification are also frequently used to intensify emotional expression and create vivid imagery, while symbolism, simile, and irony contribute to the depth of meaning and narrative complexity of the songs. The study concludes that figurative language plays a significant role in enhancing the aesthetic quality, emotional expression, and storytelling elements in Taylor Swift's Folklore album. These findings demonstrate that contemporary song lyrics can be analyzed as literary texts and provide valuable insights into the creative use of language in modern music.