SYNECDOCHE

[Dr. Goodword]

• synecdoche •

Pronunciation: sên-ek-dê-kee • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: 1. The metaphorical technique of naming a specific part when referring to the whole. 2. Naming the whole to indicate a part.

Notes: Today's Good Word is the proper literary term for a habit that is ubiquitous in common speech. The adjective for it is synecdochic(al) and you may use the adverb when you speak synecdochically. The practice of using synecdoches is synecdochism.

In Play: A good football receiver called "Hands" is an example of synecdoche. Indeed, the naval command, "All hands on deck!" presupposes an entire sailor will bring each pair up. On the other hand, when your teenaged son (who is making a D in English) says, "I can't go out tonight, the 'rents have the wheels," he proves himself a master of one of the major rhetorical devices of English. The reverse situation, using a whole to refer to a part, is also synecdoche: "Australia beat Brazil in the finals of the World Cup," besides wishful thinking, is a synecdoche in which wholes (Australia, Brazil) refer to only parts of themselves (the Australian and Brazilian soccer teams).

Word History: Today's is a Greek loan, synekdoche, from the verb syn-ek-dechesthai "to take on a share of", built of syn- "with, together" + ek "out of" + dechomai "take, receive." Ekdecomai alone means "take" in the sense of "understand", the opposite of mistake. The doche is cousin to Latin doc-ere "to teach", found in words like docent, doctor, and dogma. (Saying 'Thank you' to Katy Brezger for suggesting today's Good Word is almost synecdoche, since it expresses only a part of our gratitude.)

[M. Henri Day]

A term sometimes used for the closely related concept metonymy, as explained by the inimitable Michael Quinion....

Henri

[Flaminius]

Our Good Doctor and Mr Quinion agree that the pronunciation of the ultima syllable is /ki:/. This makes me wonder if there may be no instance of spelling <ke> pronounced as /ke:/ in English.

[M. Henri Day]

Flam, I confess to pronouncing this final syllable as if it were (ancient) Greek (note, however, that even the modern Greeks would pronounce it «kee» !). Strict punishment must be exacted, of course, for this type of linguistic terrorism ; while I can accept the crime as capital, I should very much like to avoid being tortured. But then again, I am a Euro-weenie....

Henri

[misterdoe]

A term sometimes used for the closely related concept metonymy, as explained by the inimitable Michael Quinion....

Henri

I know this is a REALLY old thread, but I couldn't resist: inimitable metonymy? Say that three times fast!

[misterdoe]

While I'm resurrecting old threads, I wonder if anyone here saw Synecdoche, New York, a movie about synecdoche and Schenectady?

(resurrecting old threads = way to save money! )