METONYMY

Welcome to this lecture headed “METONYMY”. We will be discussing all about metonymy. Enjoy your lecture.

Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing or idea is not called by its own name, but by the name of another thing closely related to that thing or idea.

It is a figure of speech that is made up of the utilization of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an aspect or with which it is linked (as “crown” in “lands belonging to the crown”)

Metonymies are often utilized in literature and in day to day speech and frequently selected due to the fact that it is a well-known feature of a word.

Comprehending metonymy is reliant on knowing the meanings of the related words make use of, or else readers will be left confused by the context of a written work.

Metonymies are frequently taken as a hidden language; due to a lot of words can be utilized in the place of others.

A figure of speech that is made up of the utilization of the name of one object or concept for that of another to which it is connected, or of which it is a part, as “scepter” for “sovereignty,” or “the bottle” for “strong drink,” or “count heads (or noses)” for “count people.”.

In a figure of speech when the name of an object or idea is replaced with a word closely connected to or implied by the original, as the use of “crown” to mean “king” For example, (“The power of the crown was mortally weakened”) or an author for his works (“I’m studying Shakespeare”).

A familiar Shakespearean instance is Mark Antony’s speech in Julius Caesar in which he asks of his audience: “Lend me your ears.”

Metonymy is very much related to synecdoche, the naming of a portion for the whole or a whole for the part, and is a frequently used poetic device.

Metonymy has the effect of producing tangible and clear images in place of generalities, as in the replacement of a particular “grave” for the abstraction “death.”

Metonymy is standard journalism and headline observance like using “city hall” to mean “municipal government” and of the “White House” to mean the “president of the United States.”

One well-known example of metonymy is the saying,

“The pen is mightier than the sword,” from Edward Bulwer Lytton’s play Richelieu.

This metonymy means the pen, or written word, is more powerful than the sword, or violence and brutality. Other frequently used examples are:

– Crown, which is used to stand for royalty.

– Nollywood, used to describe the Nigeria film industry.

– Silver-fox, which represents an attractive older man.

– Giving a hand, which means to give assistance to someone.

For examples are:

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.- William Shakespeare (Play: Julius Ceaser)

List Sentences Literature William Shakespeare

The suits on Wall Street walked off with most of our savings.

List Sentences

Her voice is full of money.- F Scott Fitzgerald (Book: The Great Gatsby)

List Sentences Literature F Scott Fitzgerald

The Yankees have been throwing the ball really well, and they have been hitting better than they have been in the past few seasons.

List Sentences

The House was called to order.

This means that the ‘members’ of a House, presuming that it’s a House of Parliament, or House of Representatives, were called to order.

List Sentences

Metonymy is used both in literature and in day to day life.

Metonymy, Synecdoche and Metaphor

Metonymy is frequently confused with another figure of speech known as synecdoche.

They look alike but are not the same. Synecdoche is used for referring to a thing by the name of one of its parts.

For instance, calling a car “a wheel” is a synecdoche. A section of a car i.e. “a wheel” stands for the whole car.

In a metonymy, on the other hand, the word we utilize to describe another thing is closely connected to that particular thing, but is not a part of it.

For instance, “Crown” which is used to denote power or authority is a metonymy.

Metonymy is also different from a metaphor. A metaphor is used to show resemblance between two diverse things as in “You are sunlight and I moon” – Sun And Moon from Miss Saigon.

Sunlight (and moon) and human are two different things that have no connection but it tries to explain one thing in terms of another based on a supposed resemblance.

Metonymy, on the other hand, develops relation on the grounds of close connections as in “The Aso Rock is worried about terrorism.”

The Aso Rock here stands for the people who work in it.

Instances of Metonymy in Everyday Life

We often make use of metonymy in our day to day life. For a better comprehension, let us examine a few metonymy paradigms:

Nigeria is bent on the check on immigration. (Nigeria refers to the government.)

The pen is mightier than the sword. (Pen means written words and sword means military might.)

The Oval Office was busy in work. (“The Oval Office” is a metonymy since it represents the people at work in the office.)

Let me give you a hand. (Hand represents help.)

Examples of Metonymy from Literature

The given lines below are extract from Shakespeare’s “Julies Caesar” Act I.

“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.”

Mark Anthony makes use of “ears” to say that he wishes the people present to pay attention to him considerately.

It is a metonymy due to the fact of the word “ears” replaces the notion of attention.

This line is from Margaret Mitchell’s novel “Gone with the Wind”.

“I’m mighty glad Georgia waited till after Christmas before it secedes or it would have ruined the Christmas parties.”

Scarlett uses “Georgia” to point out everything that makes up the state: citizens, politician, government etc.

It is a metonymy enormously common in the contemporary world, where a name of a country or state represents to a whole nation and its government. Therefore, it renders brevity to the dreams.

The following are extracts from “Out, Out” by Robert Frost.

“As he swung toward them holding up the hand

Half in appeal, but half as if to keep

The life from spilling”

In these lines, the expression “The life from spilling” is a metonymy that represents the spilling of blood.

It creates a link between life and blood. The loss of too much blood stands for loss of life.

The following extracts are gotten from the poem “Yet Do I Marvel”.

“The little buried mole continues blind,

Why flesh that mirror Him must someday die,”

Countee Cullen makes use of “flesh” to stand for human and questions God why we have to die when we are created in His likeness.

The lines below are extract from Lycidas written by John Milton.

“But now my oat proceeds,

And listens to the herald of the sea

That came in Neptune’s plea,

He asked the waves, and asked the felon winds,

What hard mishap hath doomed this gentle swain?”

In the lines above, John Milton makes use of “oat” for a musical instrument made out of an oak-stalk.

Therefore, “oat” stands for the song that the poet is compiling next to the ocean.

Uses of Metonymy

In general, metonymy is used in the development of literary symbolism i.e. it offers more deep meanings to otherwise ordinary ideas and objects.

By making use of metonymy, texts show deeper or hidden meanings and therefore drawing readers’ attention. 

In addition, the utilization of metonymy assists to achieve brevity. For example, “Rifles were guarding the gate” is briefer than “The guards with rifles in their hands were guarding the gate.”

In addition, metonymy, like other literary devices, is used to add a poetic color to words to make them come to life.

The simple everyday things are portrayed in a creative way to put this “life” feature to literary works.

Thanks for reaching to this point marking the end of this lecture.

Your Lecture Master:

Mst. Ugonwanne Joshua