The Mechanics

Good morning to you all.

Do you know what a synecdoche is?

I don't think I had ever heard this word before when I came across it in my Collins Good Grammar book.

Synecdoche is a figurative device in which a part is substituted for the whole or the whole for a part.

Having said that, what does it mean? Well, even though I didn't know what the word was I've been using the convention for years.

Here's an example: We sent over 200 head to market yesterday. This sentence has been shortened and head is replacing cattle in this example.

The king assembled a fleet of some 600 sail: Here sail is referring to some 600 ships.

In these last two examples part of a cow and part of a ship are used to indicate the whole.

England beat Australia by three wickets: Here England and Australia are used to indicate part--the English and Australian teams.

This device is used to achieve brevity and avoid repetition and is used extensively in newspaper writing.

One of the most common--and contentious--synecdochic expressions is man, which, in the sense of mankind, is only part of the whole--man and woman.

Yes, I can honestly say that is one synecdochic expression that I don't like at all. I never use it. Being the part of the whole that is being left out has never sat well with me.

Have a great one all! A demain.