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OP
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I reluctantly add to the vexing "synecdoche or metonymy" question the following two terms: Pars pro toto is Latin for "(taking) a part for the whole"; it is a kind of synecdoche. When used in a context of language it means that something is named after a part of it (or after a limited characteristic, in itself not necessarily representative for the whole). E.g. "glasses" is a "pars pro toto" name for something that consists of more than just two pieces of glass. The opposite of a pars pro toto is a totum pro parte, in which the whole is used to describe a part. Totum pro parte is Latin for "(taking) the whole for a part"; it refers to a kind of synecdoche. When used in a context of language it means that something is named after something of which it is only a part (or only a limited characteristic, in itself not necessarily representative for the whole). A pars pro toto is the opposite of a totum pro parte in which a part is used to describe the whole. Do we have an exploding head smilie?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
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As long as you stick to the anisotropic approach you get a fine smile from me. (<^^>)
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Joined: Aug 2002
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2002
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So "Nice wheels" is an example of pars pro toto.
and an example of totum pro parte would be ...
ummm ...
er ...
...
anyone?
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 6
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Apr 2007
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Perhaps "nice shirt" when you are really complimenting the print on the fabric, not the collar details or the feel of the fabric or the overall style.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
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Apologies for the lame response, Hydra. Synecdoche as a figure of speech seems to me to be the exact synonym for both the latin figures of speech. So for examples both ways: examples
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I've only just got my head around the whole synecdoche/metonymy thing.
I have decided the best thing is just to pretend I never saw those two waggish Latinisms.
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