Metonymy Essay

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Definition: A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated (such as "crown" for "royalty"). Metonymy is also the rhetorical strategy of describing something indirectly by referring to things around it, as in describing someone's clothing to characterize the individual. Metonymies are frequently used in literature and in everyday speech. Sometimes a metonymy is chosen because it is a well-known characteristic of the word. Metonymy may be contrasted with metaphor. Both figures involve the substitution of one term for another. In metaphor, this substitution is based on some specific similarity, whereas in metonymy the substitution is based on some understood association. Adjective: metonymic. Etymology: From the Greek, "change of name" Purpose of a Metonymy As with other literary devices, one of the main purposes of using a metonymy is to add flavor to the writing. Instead of just repeatedly saying, "the staff at the restaurant" or naming all of the elements of a dinner each time you want to refer to the meal, one word breaks up some of that awkwardness. Using a metonymy serves a double purpose - it breaks up any awkwardness of repeating the same phrase over and over and it changes the wording to make the sentence more interesting. Examples Here are some broad kinds of relationships where metonymy is frequently used: * Containment: When one thing contains another, it can frequently be used metonymically, as when "dish" is used to refer not to a plate but to the food it contains, or as when the name of a building is used to refer to the entity it contains, as when "the White House" or "the Pentagon" are used to refer to the U.S. presidential staff or the military leadership, respectively. * Tools/Instruments: Often a tool is used to signify the job it does or the person who does the job, as

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