Welcome to Wondrous Words Wednesday! Time to learn something new. Visit Kathy at Bermudaonion.net for more intellectually stimulating words.
My word comes from the October 2013 issue of Writers Digest. In an article called, “Using Figurative Language Effectively,” Theodore A. Rees Cheney reviews the basic tools for figurative language: simile, metaphor, analogy, and personification.
But then he covered one I’d never heard of: metonymy.
Metonymies single out a quality of a an object and focus attention upon it.
metonymy \mə-‘tän-ə-mē\ noun; from Greek meta– change + onyma/onoma name, literally meaning a change of name. A figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated.
Here are some examples:
- “The White House” for the president and his administration
- “The Bench” for a judge
- “The Vatican” for the pope and his administration
In his article, Cheney argues that figurative language brings depth and engagement to writing; readers have to participate to appreciate what the writer conveys.
Eager to improve my writing, I searched my current WIP**, Redefined, for metonymies. Yippee! I found one:
Dad wanted privacy, so he built our house away from the eyes and ears in town.
Word Nerd Workout
Can you come up with your own example of metonymy, or can you find one in fiction/media to share? And, make a word nerd feel better- have you heard of this term before? I knew the concept; I didn’t realize it actually had a name!
Thanks for getting nerdy with me today!
Julia
** WIP = “work in progress”
That’s a new one on me! I get the concept but I’m drawing a blank right now. It’s been a long day.
A great new word, thanks! for sharing.
I must admit that this term is new to me as well, although it does (now) seem a bit familiar. Hmm… another example of a metonymy could be “The Crown” for royalty; or how about “Library” for a collection of books?
Perfect Suko! Thanks for working out with us!
Ok, I have a new favorite word to say! Oh wow, it just rolls off your tongue ~ metonymy 😀
This brings to mind some of the nicknames of the Redskins defense/offense back in the 80s. I’m not a ‘skins fan (shout out to my Cowboys) so I don’t know for sure, but I remember something like: Smurfs, Fun Bunch, etc.
“Metonymy” — thanks for the fun word, Julia!
Happy to give you a new favorite word. And I tip my hat to another Hokie! What’s happening to me? (For those of you who don’t know, Cavaliers and Hokies are huge rivals here in Virginia!)
Like you, I knew the concept, but not the term. Did a little research on my own, and found this excellent, very well known example of double metonymy: The pen is mightier than the sword.
Excellent example, Nicole. What a word nerd, actually doing research! I love it. I have new respect for Hokies everywhere. 😉