Synecdoche is a figure of speech that replaces an object with an aspect of that object. It can be used to control images, dehumanize, and is found in both poetry and casual conversation. It can also refer to a specific object using a larger or more generalized object.
Synecdoche is a figure of speech that replaces an entire object with an aspect of that object. It can also be used to replace a specific object with something more general. A kind of imagery, synecdoche is often used in both poetry and prose, as well as casual speech and slang. The term is almost identical to the Greek word from which it derives, synekdoche, which means “simultaneous understanding.”
Often used to characterize and control images, synecdoche is employed by both authors and the casual conversationalist. In synecdoche, a specific part of an object is understood as the whole object. For example, saying “the claw fell upon its prey” replaces a bird of prey with an aspect of that bird: its claw. In this case, the device is most likely being used to control the image of the bird in the reader’s mind. By drawing attention to a single clawed foot, the exact appendage engaged in the act rather than the bird as a whole, the technique serves as a kind of written close-up.
Synecdoche is also used to dehumanize. The phrase “I saw the hand that killed her” removes the human aspect from the act, reducing the murderer to a mere appendage. This dehumanization occurs, often innocently, even in casual conversation. The popular term “count,” used to refer to the number of people in a given group, replaces a human being with a physical attribute: the head. In this way, it is clear that a “count”, while referring to individuals, is not really about people but numbers.
Also, synecdoche can be found in slang, such as referring to a car as “wheels”. In the case of slang and casual conversation, most users are unaware that they are using synecdoche and are not doing it for any intentional dramatic effect. Authors may or may not be aware of this figure of speech when they employ it, but they usually hope to achieve the dramatic effects it creates.
Synecdoche can also be used to refer to a specific object using a larger or more generalized object. For example, the term America can refer to the continent of South America or the continent of North America. The term is often used to refer to the United States, however, which is only a part of North America. To be used this way, the larger object must include, but not be limited to, the specific thing it references.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
