Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#96689 02/22/03 10:13 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Down in meta-words, I posted a list containing word "chatelaine". This I recognized
as French for a lady in charge of a chateau or similar large important dwelling place,
as far at responsibility for security, supervision of servants, etc. So imagine my
surprise at seeing it defined as a key ring, on which the keys to the estate might
be kept. It is obviously a metaphor, but the reverse of the usual kind. Yet dictionary
defintion of "synecdoche" = name of part = whole, says "or reverse".
So is synecdoche the right word in this case? Or is there a better word for it?

Please comment.


#96690 02/23/03 12:16 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
It seems like the reverse of referring to the ruler as the throne or the president as the White House, whatever that's called. I went traipsing through the Forest and found nothing that seemed to cover it.


#96691 02/23/03 01:11 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
I can see that the keys to the estate were in effect the chatelaines badge of office, and the only
thing important about her, so the keys to the estate could be called " the chatelaine".
But I can't see the term referring to just any keyring. And I can't think of a parallel.


#96692 02/23/03 01:50 AM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Transference?


#96693 02/23/03 02:09 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Dear Jackie: I found a site about metaphor and transference, but it gave me an instant headache.
http://csmaclab-www.cs.uchicago.edu/philosophyProject/goodman/nominalism.html


#96694 02/23/03 02:43 AM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Indeed, that piece is arcane. I wonder if the author saw the Star Trek episode Darmok, where the alien race spoke entirely in metaphors--which were of course incomprehensible to those with no frame of reference. The Enterprise crew's response to them was like mine to Shakespeare: understanding the individual words, but still the whole makes no sense.


#96695 02/23/03 02:55 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636
So what's up with this? Every time I hear this song, I break my brain Hi, moose! trying to figure out why she "becomes Miss Chatelaine"

Miss Chatelaine
k.d. lang/Ben Mink
Just a kiss just a kiss
I have lived just for this
I can't explain why I've become
Miss Chatelaine

Just a smile just a smile
Hold me captive just a while
I can't explain why I've become
Miss Chatelaine

Every time your eyes meet mine
Clouds of qualm
Burst into sunshine

Just a sigh just a sigh
Words my love just reply
I can't explain why I 've become
Miss Chatelaine
Miss Chatelaine

Zing!!

Just a smile just a smile
Hold me captive just a while
I can't explain why I've become
Miss Chatelaine

Every time your eyes meet mine
Clouds of qualm
Burst into sunshine

Just a kiss just a kiss
I have lived just for this
I can't explain why I've become
Miss Chatelaine

Miss Chatelaine
Miss Chatelaine
Miss Chatelaine
Miss Chatelaine







#96696 02/23/03 03:21 AM
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 555
M
addict
Offline
addict
M
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 555
Seems like she can't explain it either, consuelo!

Perhaps, she feels like she has become the chatelaine of his heart!


#96697 02/23/03 03:44 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Every good housewife is a chatelaine who makes a house a home,, and holds all the keys
including the one to the heart of her husband if he is good for anything and has any brains
at all. So it should be Mrs. Chatelaine.
But not every keyring deserves to be called a chatelaine. That name should be special.









#96698 02/23/03 05:48 AM
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 555
M
addict
Offline
addict
M
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 555
But not every keyring deserves to be called a chatelaine. That name should be special.

Aye, Aye, captain!! Now, if only we would all understand and trust that it is all about keys and not about the purse strings!










Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 442 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5