Introduction to Synecdoche and how to use this technique in writing?

The word synecdoche seems pretty complex and intimidating, but it’s likely that you have already been using it in your writing and daily conversations. 

According to Assignment writers UK, Synecdoche is a useful literary device that many writers use to emphasize an important point or theme and make their imagery writing more realistic and profound. 

What is synecdoche?

Derived from the Greek word “snykdoche,” it is defined as a “simultaneous meaning.” According to the contemporary English definition, the synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a word for a specific part of something can substitute rhetorically to the larger whole or vice versa. 

Sounds confusing?

Well, don’t worry, we will explain it to you with examples. The concept might sound confusing, but chances are you use this term all the time in your daily conversations. 

For example, when referring to England cricket team, you might say, “England beat India last night.” When discussing the executive branch of the United States, you might say, “The White House has released a statement about recent uncertainties in the country.”

The above sentences are an example of synecdoche: The country of England didn’t literally defeat India; the part of its cricket team did! Similarly, the actual structure of the White House didn’t release any statement; the members working there did. With the help of synecdoche, writers use a part of an entity or concept rhetorically to represent the whole.

Types of Synecdoche:

There are various forms of synecdoche found in literature, but all generally come under two broader umbrellas:

1. Macrocosm: Macrocosm is a Synecdoche in which a larger concept or entity is used to stand in a small part within it. When we used “England beat India last night,” we are using a bigger entity, i.e. England, to substitute for its small part within it, i.e. its cricket team that plays for the country. Other examples of Macrocosm are:

– The word “society” is often used to describe a specific attribute or sector within that society.

– When people say, “Guardian wrote a new story,” it means that one specific journalist working at the news organization wrote that story.

– “If the office is not treating you well,” it means one person or department is not treating the employee well.

– “Pentagon” often represents a few decision-making journals.

2. Microcosm: This form of synecdoche is used when a small part of something substitutes to the larger whole.  Sometimes people use “grey hair” to refer to an old man or lady; it is an example of synecdoche in a sense that a small aspect or attribute has been used to describe an entire age group or class. Other examples of Microcosm are:

– The word “sails” often represent a whole ship.

– The phrase “hire hands” is used to describe paid labor or workers or employers.

– The word “head” represents the counting of people or cattle.

– The phrase “glasses” can be used to refer to eyewear.

– People use “wheels” to refer to a vehicle or car.

– People often use “bread” as a substitute for money or food in general, such as “he is the sole breadwinner of the family. Writing is my bread and butter.

– The phrase “bubbly” can be used to refer to champagne.

The use of Synecdoche:

Synecdoche can be used for many purposes, such as:

1. Character building: It can be used to represent familiarity between characters by dialogues. Using synecdoche in character conversations can manifest that they have the same interests and vocabulary.
2. To create a new setting or world: 
3. If you want to create a fictional world, come up with a new synecdoche that can be the best fit into your world.
4. Symbolism: You can use synecdoche to emphasize the symbolic significance of a particular part of something larger. 
5. Vivid literature: Synecdoche is an effective way to make your work more palpable and vivid to the readers. With this technique, you can describe things in your writing in a unique and interesting manner. Think of an aspect that is not usually used to describe a larger whole. 

Synecdoche vs. Metonymy

Synecdoche and metonymy can be confused because both use a word or phrase to symbolize something else (some even consider synecdoche a type of metonymy). Synecdoches use an element of a word or phrase to refer to the whole, whereas metonymies replace the word or phrase with a closely related concept. Some synecdoche are metonymies in fact.

Let’s use the car example again. The wheel was a synecdoche for “car.” Another word for car is “ride.” For example, “Let’s take my new ride for a spin.” Notice how the car has been completely replaced by another word. This is a related word to driving a car, but it isn’t a part of a car.

Hope this clears up your concepts about Synecdoche and its use in writing. If you need further assistance regarding writing techniques, feel free to reach out to us. Good luck!