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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Synecdoche or metonymy? #147313 09/03/2005 11:19 AM Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 203 Homo Loquens enthusiast Homo Loquens enthusiast Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 203 Talk about la même chose! The Oxford Dictionary of English tells me that 'synechoche' is 'a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or visa vera; while 'metonymy' is the subtitution of the name of an adjunct for that of the thing meant. Well, does this simply mean that 'metonymy' is a certain kind of 'synechoche' -- the part for the whole? Surely these are murky waters? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Synecdoche or metonymy? #147314 09/03/2005 12:46 PM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass tsuwm Carpal Tunnel tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass The most important thing in any discussion like this is the fact that most rhetorical terms aren't defined quite as precisely as one would want or expect. I've always been interested by them, and I remember in college going to a professor of mine, the chairman of the classics department, to ask about some subtle distinction between two terms, and he basically laughed and said that it was completely irrelevant. - Jesse Sheidlower, North American Editor, Oxford English Dictionary Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Synecdoche or metonymy? #147315 09/03/2005 12:53 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 The difference is subtle. Synecdoche: http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/Figures/S/synecdoche.htm A part for the whole: a head is part of a beef, wheels are part of a car. Metonymy: http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/Figures/M/metonymy.htm A pen is something used in writing down thoughts, but is not a part of thought. A crown is something worn by a ruler, but is not a part of a ruler. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter here's another fine pair.. #147316 09/05/2005 12:32 AM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass tsuwm Carpal Tunnel tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass we all know of anastrophe; but what about hyperbaton? (not to be confused with hysteron proteron (hysterologia) or parenthesis) Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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