Which term is the device of attributing human traits to non-human entities?

• A. Metonymy
• B. Onomatopoeia
• C. Personification
• D. Apostrophe

Answer: (C)

Attributing human traits to non-human things is personification. This device brings objects, animals, or ideas to life by giving them feelings, motives, or actions that humans would have, which helps create vivid imagery and stronger emotional connections. For example, saying “The wind whispered through the trees” or “Time marches on” treats natural forces as if they could speak or act like people.

Metonymy, by contrast, substitutes the name of something closely related for the thing itself (like using “the White House” to mean the U.S. presidency). Onomatopoeia uses words that imitate sounds (such as “buzz” or “sizzle”). Apostrophe involves addressing someone or something absent or inanimate as if it could respond (for example, “O death, be not proud”).