Synecdoche

Synecdoche (sə-nek-də-kē; from the Greek synekdoche which translates to "simultaneous understanding") is a literary device that utilizes a part of an object or the entire object is used to represent some part of the whole object. This trope can function in many ways as a literary device. It can allow larger groups to represent a smaller one or vice versa. It can also refer to a thing by the material it is made of or the packaging it is contained in.

Examples

In Popular Culture and Society

Example of Pop Culture/Society 1

"Wheels" for a car

"I gave him a Pepsi." Where the word "Pepsi" represents the aluminum can that contains the soda inside of it.

"I'm out of bullets, give me another magazine." "Magazine" represents the container that holds the bullets the soldier needs for his firearm.

In Literature

William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears..." are the opening words of Mark Antony's famous speech during Act III, scene ii of the play. The "parts of a whole" connection comes from the ears that are part of the whole human body. Antony does not plea for his countrymen's physical ears; rather, he requires what they represent: their attention and their minds.

Alongside Metonymy

Synecdoche and Metonymy are similar, but different. BUILD OFF OF THIS

Similarities

"Every metonymy is a synecdoche, but not every synecdoche is a metonymy. This rule is true because a metonymy must not only be a part of the root word, making a synecdoche, but also be a unique attribute of or associated with the root word" (Modugno)

The White House, the Kremlin, and Downing Street can be used to represent the governments of the United States of America, Russia, and Great Britain, respectively.

"The difference between synecdoche and metonymy is that in metonymy the word you employ is linked to the concept you are really talking about, but isn’t actually a part of it."

References

<references>

• )