1. Synecdoche and Metonymy
English 11

2. Metonymy Pronounced: Meh-Ton-Ah-Me
Definition: A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated.
Greek for “change of name”
Ex: Golden arches or Rotten Ronnie’s or McDick’s

3. Synecdoche -Pronounced: Sah-Neck-Duh-Key
-Definition: A figure of speech by which a part is put for the whole, or the whole is put for a part.
-Greek for “shared understanding”
-Ex: ABC’s for Alphabet

4. The Difference Synecdoche is more specific. Metonymy is more general.
If you can see the image as part of a whole, then it is synecdoche.
If the image is actually a whole thing and represents another whole thing, it is metonymy.

5. Naughty Metonymy Poem Today I saw a sexy skirt
By Alexandra MacDonald
Today I saw a sexy skirt
Strolling down the street
She had a lovely pair of twins
Bouncing to the beat
(“Skirt” is a metonym for “girl” or “woman”
“Twins” is a metonym for “boobs”)

6. Synecdoche or Metonymy?
Take thy face hence
ABC’s
The Crown’s case is solid
The Pentagon
All hands on deck
The pen is mightier than the sword
I asked for her hand in marriage
Uncle Harvey’s back on the bottle
Uncle Billybob’s a redneck