Exaggeration in Malayalam
Exaggeration is അതിശയോക്തി (athishayokthi) in Malayalam, a compound of words for wonder and speech, and the standard name for hyperbole in literary criticism. Say a-thi-sha-yok-thi. It also serves in ordinary complaints that someone is overstating things.
Exaggeration, hyperbole.
പഴയ കവിതയിൽ അതിശയോക്തി സാധാരണമാണ്.
pazhaya kavithayil athishayokthi saadhaaranamaanu.
Hyperbole is common in old poetry.
All Malayalam words for “exaggeration”
- അതിശയോക്തി (athishayokthi) — Exaggeration, hyperbole.
- അതിവര്ണ്ണനം (athivarnanam) — Exaggeration.
അതിശയോക്തി (athishayokthi) is the usual word and doubles as the literary term hyperbole; അതിവര്ണ്ണനം (athivarnanam) is a plainer formation meaning over-description and is far less common.
Common questions
What is exaggeration in Malayalam?
അതിശയോക്തി (athishayokthi), used both for everyday exaggeration and for hyperbole as a figure of speech.
Is it a criticism?
In conversation yes, since calling a story അതിശയോക്തി says it has been stretched; in a literature class it is simply the name of a device.