Anyone know a way to remember synecdoche and metonymy?

Question

I've learned and forgotten the definitions for the past two years, anyone have a way to remember?

Answer 1

Well, I'm not sure there is a simple way, but if you know the definitions and are simply trying to remember which is which you might try something like this:

First, note that synecdoche can go BOTH ways -- whole for part OR part for whole-- while metonymy only goes ONE (a feature/characteristic to represent an object..)

Perhaps then it will help to think of a similar sounding word for one of them
1) SYMMETRY - balanced, cf. going both ways
and, by comparison
2) MONOTONY - same, just one way

Another odd notion, just in case it works -- synecdoche sounds like "Schenectady" (in New York) which is the name of BOTH a county and the capital city in it. (And for the idea of "two" you might also note that its official flower is the TU-lip, and it is just a bit above Route 20.)

Answer 2

Synecdoche is defined as " a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa". Example: "England lost by 6 wickets" (meaning the English cricket team)

Metonym (metonymy): a word or expression used as a substitute for something with which it is closely associated. Example: "Washington" for the US government.

Difficult to distinguish, aren't they? I wonder if the origin of the word Metonym - from Greek metonumia meaning "change of name" - is any help?

Answer 3

metonymy=figure of speech when 1 word is sub. for another. synecdouche=figure of speech, a species of methaphor in which the person or ting is used to designate the whole. Try to remember that the word methonmy in not defined with methaphor at all. It helps to define synecdouche

Answer 4

Synecdoche: you could look at it like this, Syn (Sin) when some one sins it is usually used to refer to a lot of sins

a term denoting a part of something is used to refer to the whole thing, or
a term denoting a thing (a "whole") is used to refer to part of it

Answer 5

yes it kind of easy just remember tha; Metonymy; is a figure of speech in which one word or phrase is sub. for another with wich is closely associated; exsample; (Crown is for Royalty.) bone is for a dog water is for three. and the next is Synecdouche; a figure of speech in which the word for part of something is used to mean the whole.exsample sail fot boat or boat for sail or visa-versa. i hope is okay with you know.have fun.