liaafriani

metonymy and synecdoche 





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 is different from a metaphor. A metaphor draws resemblance between two different things as in “You are sunlight and I moon” – Sun And Moon from Miss Saigon. Sunlight (and moon) and human are two different things without any association but it attempts to describe one thing in terms of another based on a supposed similarity. 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.

Examples of Metonymy in Everyday Life

We use metonymy frequently in our everyday life. For a better understanding, let us observe a few metonymy examples:

• England decides to keep check on immigration. (England refers to the government.)
• The pen is mightier than the sword. (Pen refers to written words and sword to military force.)
• The Oval Office was busy in work. (“The Oval Office” is a metonymy as it stands for people at work in the office.)
• Let me give you a hand. (Hand means help.)

Metonymy Examples from Literature

Example #1

The given lines are from Shakespeare’s “Julies Caesar” Act I.

“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.”

Mark Anthony uses “ears” to say that he wants the people present there to listen to him attentively. It is a metonymy because the word “ears” replaces the concept of attention.

 






references :
http://literarydevices.net/metonymy/
http://study.com/academy/lesson/synecdoche-vs-metonymy-definitions-examples.html
https://www.google.com/search?q=picture+of+metonymy&client=firefox-beta&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&tbm=isch&imgil=PasLWW9wI9p7WM%253A%253BoQrXCzHyTUULtM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fscalar.usc.edu%25252Fstudents%25252Fmachine-dreams%25252Fmetonymy-2&source=iu&pf=m&fir=PasLWW9wI9p7WM%253A%252CoQrXCzHyTUULtM%252C_&usg=__BWs3ssrM9APuGf90uwUpPLUJimo%3D&biw=1366&bih=631&ved=0ahUKEwi3n7SJ_ujMAhUTSo8KHWjfDP4QyjcINQ&ei=aS8_V_fGBJOUvQTovrPwDw#imgrc=5OhGUMN-E15zmM%3A