What form of figurative language is this in Achebe's "Things Fall Apart"? I was reading _Things Fall Apart_ by Chinua Achebe which is set in pre-colonial Nigeria. During a ceremony where members of the clan of Umofia are hearing out cases the leaders who are dressed up as gods always say: > "Uzowulu's body, I salute you." I found it really interesting how in this culture they salute the person's body whereas in western culture, for example, we recognize the person and their consciousness more than their body. I was wondering if this quote would classify as a form of figurative language and if so, which kind?

The text also includes the explanation.

> Spirits always addressed humans as ‘bodies’.

From this my interpretation is that the language is intended to be literal, underlining the difference between spirits, who may temporarily occupy the bodies of clan members in order to deliver judgments etc, and humans who are firmly of the corporeal realm.