Welcome to my blog! Now, I will explain to you about
Metonymy and Synecdoche.
1.
Metonymy
etonymy
is a figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of
something else with which it is closely associated. We can come across examples
of metonymy both from literature and in everyday life. Metonymy is often
confused with another figure of speech called synecdoche.
They resemble each other but are not the same. Synecdoche refers to a thing by
the name of one of its parts. For example, calling a car “a wheel” is a
synecdoche. A part of a car i.e. “a wheel” stands for the whole car. In a
metonymy, on the other hand, the word we use to describe another thing is
closely linked to that particular thing, but is not a part of it. For example,
“Crown” which means power or authority is a metonymy. Metonymy, however,
develops relation on the grounds of close associations as in “The White House
is concerned about terrorism.” The White House here represents the people who
work in it.
Here are some examples of metonymy:
- Crown. (For the power of a king.)
- The White House. (Referring to the American administration.)
- Dish. (To refer an entire plate of food.)
- The Pentagon. (For the Department of Defense and the offices of the
U.S. Armed Forces.)
- Pen. (For the written word.)
- Sword - (For military force.)
- Hollywood. (For US Cinema.)
- Hand. (For help.)
2.
Synecdoche
ynecdoche,
like metonymy, is the replacement of a phrase with an associated phrase.
Specifically, though, a part replaces a whole or a whole replaces a part. 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.
There are two
key types of synecdoche: microcosm and macrocosm:
-
Microcosm is the phrase for synecdoche in
which a smaller part signifies a larger whole.
-
Macrocosm, on the other hand, is the
phrase for synecdoche in which a larger whole signifies a smaller collection of
parts.
Example of synecdoche:
A boy has been admitted to the hospital. The nurse says, “He’s in good
hands.”
The boy is not literally being taken care of by two hands. Rather, he is
being taken care of by an entire hospital system, including nurses, assistants,
doctors, and many others. This is an example of microcosmic synecdoche, as a
part signifies a whole.
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