Synecdoche and Metonymy

By Allison Miller and Katie Cohen

Metonymy definitiona figure of speech in which a word is similar to

another substitutes itself for the original.

a strategy for describing something indirectly by using a substitution for its name.

Metonymy example“The prince is the next heir to take the crown”

What is the metonymy?

Correct answer: CrownThe “Crown” substitutes itself for being the next

king

RedneckYou've probably heard the usage of the word

"redneck" before. Well that is a metonymy.

Redneck is the substitution for a stereotypical member of the white rural working class in the Southern United States referencing the sunburned necks of the farmers from working in the fields

Sublime: Badfish

Synecdoche DefinitionA whole is represented by naming one of its

parts, or visa versa

Origin: Greek

So, how does it differ from metonymy?

Examples of synecdoche from everyday life

“John Hancock”

“Listen, you've got to come take a look at my new set of wheels.”

Synecdoche Song Example

“Our Song” by Taylor Swift

Chorus:

“Our song is a slamming screen door,Sneakin' out late, tapping on your windowWhen we're on the phone and you talk real slowCause it's late and your mama don't knowOur song is the way you laughThe first date "man, I didn't kiss her, when I should have"And when I got home... fore' I said

amenAsking God if He could play it again”

Works Cited"John Hancock." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, 4 July 1995. Web. 25 Feb.

2012. <http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/hancock.htm>.

"Metonymy V. synecdoche - Comparisons - Knewance Difference Engine." Comparisons. Web. 25 Feb. 2012. <http://www.knewance.com/comparisons/metonymy-v-synecdoche.html>.

Swift, Taylor A. "Our Song." Rec. 22 Aug. 2007. Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift. Nathan Chapman, 2007. MP3.

"Synecdoche." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, 2012. Web. 25 Feb. 2012. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/synecdoche>.

"Synecdoche." Silva Rhetoricae: The Forest of Rhetoric. Web. 25 Feb. 2012. <http://rhetoric.byu.edu/figures/S/synecdoche.htm>.