Metonymy figure of speech

A figure of speech known as metaphor refers to objects and people by using the names of other things that are associated with them. It is a symbolic language that depends on mutual understanding to function. For instance, when referring to assistance, we frequently say, “Let me give you a hand.” Due to their connection, the term “a hand” has been used here instead of “help” metaphorically. This figure of speech effectively employs hyperbole to add comedy and coherence to the text. It also allows us communicate in a few words for example instead of saying ‘The president of the United States of America and other government officials met today,’ we metonymically say, ‘The White House met today.’

Frequently, metonymy has been confused with metaphor, a figure of speech in which people and things are referred to using names of other things or people with attribute resemblance. For instance, ‘hyena’ may be used to refer to a greedy person as in ‘He is a hyena.’ Despite the fact that the two are closely related due to their approach of substituting a term with another, they are not the same. Metonymy uses the aspect of the two items being closely associated with each other while a metaphor makes good use of attribute and character resemblance. For example, while referring to the king, metonymically we may say, ‘The crown has arrived.’ This is due to the known close association between a crown and a king therefore referring the king as ‘the crown’. On the other hand, a metaphorical reference to the king may be, ‘The king is a lion.’ The king is directly referred to as a lion due to the resemblance between the king and a lion in terms of conquering and power. Metonyms therefore refer to things and people with other names based on association while metaphors use expressions drawn from similarities in attributes and characters between the two things or people.

Metonymy extends the meaning of a word in consideration of the word’s association with another while a metaphor will extend a word’s meaning basing on attributes similarity. For example, ‘pen’ is an instrument for writing and ‘sword’ for cutting. The meanings of these two words are extended when one metonymically says ‘The pen is mightier than the sword.’ In this context, ‘the pen’ is referring to words and engaging in discussions while ‘the sword’ refers to attacks and use of force. Again here the metonyms have relied on our shared knowledge of the extended meaning. The meaning of the word ‘chicken’ is extended in the metaphorical statement, ‘You are a chicken,’ not referring to a bird but a coward. Through these deep meanings, symbolism is greatly developed in literary works, drawing our attention to issues being addressed. Through meaning extension, metonymy also enables personification. For example, ‘Washington unanimously agreed on the project,’ enables personification of ‘Washington’ which has been given human characters of decision making as it replaces the American Federal Government due to their association.

Metonymy is therefore a figure of speech which substitutes words basing on association of the two words. It enables one use fewer words to communicate, draw attention through the use of hyperboles as well as well as create humor and cohesion in the text. Though closely related, it differs from metaphor as the latter uses attribute resemblance in substituting one term with another.

Works cited

Littlemore, Jeannette. Metonymy: Hidden Shortcuts in Language, Thought and Communication. Cambridge University Press, 2015.