Concept in Definition ABC

In poetic language, in songs or in advertising the use of figures rhetorical or literary figures. The aim is to create an aesthetically striking and suggestive language with them. Metonymy is one of these figures.

As for its etymological meaning, it comes from the Greek word metonymia (the prefix meta is equivalent to next to and onoma means name). Consequently, with this figure a thing is named or designated by a different name.

The usual mechanisms in metonymy and some examples

Like metaphor or synecdoche, metonymy is a trope. It consists of designating something with the name of something else, in such a way that the effect is taken for the cause or vice versa (the sign for the thing signified, the author for his works, etc.). In the following examples you can see these mechanisms: the sun hurt him (actually what hurt him was the sun's heat), the workers lack bread (in this If the concept of bread is equivalent to work), he ate two dishes (it is understood that what he ate was the content of two dishes) and swore allegiance to the flag (in this case the

symbol replaces the thing symbolized, the homeland).

In advertising language, the use of metonymies is quite common

In the communication Image-based advertising is also used this Figure of speech. To do this, an object or a person appears with a connotation determined to suggest something. Thus, the lightness of feathers can be associated with pillows, a bottle refers to its content or a sensual woman refers to the sensuality of a product.

Metaphor and synecdoche are similar to metonymy

The use of metaphor appears when two terms are identified by presenting a certain likeness. Normally there is a word that is used to refer to another and between the two there is a close relationship. In every metaphor there are three components: the compared element, the quality in common that allows the comparison between the compared terms and the figurative term. This mechanism can be seen in the following examples: Mariano Haro, the lion of Becerril (a person is compared to a animal, for both have the quality of fortitude) and the winner deserved the laurels (here the laurels replace the idea of triumph).

The synecdoche also presents a relationship between two objects or concepts in order to use one for the other. In this figure the existing relationships are different, since a part of something is taken as if it were all or vice versa (for example, he drank a sherry, went with an extra glass, or everyone asks me money).

Photos: Fotolia - andriano_cz / rogistok

Topics in Metonymy