Metonymy and Synecdoche

Definition of Metonymy

 

 

 Metonymies are frequently used in literature and in everyday speech. A metonymy is a word or phrase that is used to stand in for another word. Sometimes a metonymy is chosen because it is a well-known characteristic of the word.

One famous example of metonymy is the saying, "The pen is mightier than the sword," which originally came from Edward Bulwer Lytton's play Richelieu. This sentence has two examples of metonymy:

Ø The "pen" stands in for "the written word."

Ø The "sword" stands in for "military aggression and force."

A Word Functioning as a Metonymy

Understanding the context of a metonymy is important. For example, the word "pen" is not always standing in for the written word; often, it just refers to the physical object of a pen.

The examples below include both the metonymy and the possible words for which the metonymy would fill in:

1. Crown - in place of a royal person
2. The White House - in place of the President or others who work there
3. The suits - in place of business people
4. Dish - for an entire plate of food
5. Cup - for a mug
6. The Pentagon - to refer to the staff
7. The restaurant - to refer to the staff
8. Ears - for giving attention ("Lend me your ears!" from Mark Antony in Julius Caesar)
9. Eyes - for sight
10. The library - for the staff or the books
11. Pen - for the written word
12. Sword - for military might
13. Silver fox - for an attractive older man
14. Hand - for help
15. The name of a country - used in place of the government, economy, etc.
16. The name of a church - used in place of its individual members
17. The name of a sports team - used in place of its individual members

While these word examples provide a good example of what a metonymy is and how it functions, sentence examples will further help to explain the use of this figure of speech.

Sentences Using a Metonymy

These sentences will further enhance your appreciation and understanding of metonymies. The metonymy is underlined.

1. We must wait to hear from the crown until we make any further decisions.
2. The White House will be announcing the decision around noon today.
3. If we do not fill out the forms properly, the suits will be after us shortly.
4. She's planning to serve the dish early in the evening.
5. The cup is quite tasty.
6. The Pentagon will be revealing the decision later on in the morning.
7. The restaurant has been acting quite rude lately.
8. Learn how to use your eyes properly!
9. The library has been very helpful to the students this morning.
10. That individual is quite the silver fox.
11. Can you please give me a hand carrying this box up the stairs?
12. The United States will be delivering the new product to us very soon.
13. Saint Thomas will be coming to the soup kitchen to help out next Sunday after Mass.
14. The Yankees have been throwing the ball really well, and they have been hitting better than they have been in the past few seasons.

Purpose of a Metonymy

As with other literary devices, one of the main purposes of using a metonymy is to add flavor to the writing. Instead of just repeatedly saying, "the staff at the restaurant" or naming all of the elements of a dinner each time you want to refer to the meal, one word breaks up some of that awkwardness.

Using a metonymy serves a double purpose - it breaks up any awkwardness of repeating the same phrase over and over and it changes the wording to make the sentence more interesting.

Synecdoche Definition

 

 Synecdoche is a literary device in which a part of something represents the whole or it may use a whole to represent a part.

Synecdoche may also use larger groups to refer to smaller groups or vice versa. It may also call a thing by the name of the material it is made of or it may refer to a thing in a container or packing by the name of that container or packing.

Function of Synecdoche

Literary symbolism is developed by the writers who employ synecdoche in their literary works. By using synecdoche, the writers give otherwise common ideas and objects deeper meanings and thus draw readers’ attention.

Furthermore, the use of synecdoche helps writers to achieve brevity. For instance, saying “Soldiers were equipped with steel” is more concise than saying “The soldiers were equipped with swords, knives, daggers, arrows etc.”

Like any other literary device, synecdoche when used appropriately adds a distinct color to words making them appear vivid. To insert this “life” factor to literary works, writers describe simple ordinary things creatively with the aid of this literary device.

Synecdoche Examples from Everyday Life

It is very common to refer to a thing by the name of its parts. Let us look at some of the examples of synecdoche that we can hear from casual conversations:

1. The word “bread” refers to food or money as in “Writing is my bread and butter” or “sole breadwinner”.
2. The phrase “gray beard” refers to an old man.
3. The word “sails” refers to a whole ship.
4. The word “suits” refers to businessmen.
5. The word “boots” usually refers to soldiers.
6. The term “coke” is a common synecdoche for all carbonated drinks.
7. “Pentagon” is a synecdoche when it refers to a few decision makers.
8. The word “glasses” refers to spectacles.
9. “Coppers” often refers to coins.

Difference between Synecdoche and Metonymy

 

 Synecdoche examples are often misidentified as metonymy (another literary device). Both may resemble each other to some extent but they are not the same. Synecdoche refers to the whole of a thing by the name of any one of its parts. For example, calling a car “wheels” is a synecdoche because a part of a car “wheels” stands for the whole car. However, in metonymy, the word we use to describe another thing is closely linked to that particular thing, but is not necessarily a part of it. For example, “crown” that refers to power or authority is a metonymy used to replace the word “king” or “queen”.