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Q&A Should we avoid "nonsensical" or "unclear" metaphors?

Should we avoid "nonsensical" or "unclear" metaphors? I am not sure if this is a case of "nonsensical" or "unclear" metaphor, but sometimes you have certain phrases that doesn't seem to be suited f...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by blackbird‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T12:10:49Z (about 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/45948
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar blackbird‭ · 2019-12-08T12:10:49Z (about 5 years ago)
Should we avoid "nonsensical" or "unclear" metaphors? I am not sure if this is a case of "nonsensical" or "unclear" metaphor, but sometimes you have certain phrases that doesn't seem to be suited for a particular metaphor.

For example:

> They **drifted out of the room** like small clouds in a sunny sky.

Now "drifted out of the room" doesn't make sense for clouds, because clouds just drift away, so is this a case of "nonsensical" or "unclear" metaphors that should be avoided? Because it sounds much better if we use it in a different but similar sentence.

For example:

> They **drifted off into the distance** like small clouds in a sunny sky.

So what do you think? I am not an native English speaker, so I am unsure how "nonsensical" or "unclear" the former sentence sounded like.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2019-06-13T01:35:34Z (over 5 years ago)
Original score: 1