from what Eco 1982:91 said, “Metonymy is the substitution of two terms for each other according to a relation of contiguity”. For example, ‘white house’ may
refer to America; ‘cendana family’ may remind us to Soeharto. The following examples will explain the definitions above, here they are:
• Most of the people in Indonesia tried to put away the red shirt • Let’s call 911
The phrase red shirt in the first sentence has a speaker meaning. Red shirt refers to PDI party. PDI party is identical with red. The right interpretation for
this sentence is to put away the PDI party. The phrase 911 refers to the public service call for American people.
If we need a help or if we are in emergency we can call this number.
2.4.2.5 Synecdoche
According to Eco 1982:90, “Synecdoche is a substitution of two terms for each other according to a relation of greater or lesser extension part of the
whole, whole for the part, and so on”. Synecdoche creates a special kind of metaphor by allowing some part to stand for the whole. Synecdoche is derived
from Greek word synekdechestai, where syn means ‘with’; the word ex means ‘to get out’; and the word dechestai means ‘to take’ or ‘ to receive’. For example,
‘Indonesia won Thomas Cup’. The sentence does not mean all the people of Indonesia but what the speaker means here is only the Badminton team of
Indonesia, especially for the men’s team. Thomas Cup is addressed to badminton competition and special for men. It is whole for the part. Whole for Indonesia and
part for Badminton team of Indonesia and men.
Universitas Sumatera Utara
In this point, we need to remember that synecdoche and metonymy is two different terms. The distinction is that in metonymy, the exchange is made
between two related nouns, while in synecdoche, the exchange is made between two related ideas.
2.5.2.6 Simile
Simile is a word or phrase that compares something to something other, using the word like or as Oxford English Learner’s :1199. In simile, a
comparison is made between two different objects which have at least one similar characteristics. The word simile comes from the same Latin word simile, which
means ‘like’. What we have to remember that simile compares two unlike objects like
metaphor but with the presence of like or as, unlike metaphor, there is no word like or as. To make it clear, here are the examples:
• He runs like a leopard • Cat’s eyes are like marbles
The first sentence ‘runs like a leopard’ is our focus. As we know, when a leopard runs, it is very fast. Therefore, it is well-known as the fastest animal in the
world in running. So the speaker means that he runs so fast. The next sentence does not means that ‘cat’s eyes’ and ‘marbles’ are really alike, but the glassy shine
of cat’s eyes reminds of the glassy shine of the marbles. A simile is not just an ordinary comparison. If someone says, “my father’s
car is like your father’s car”, he is not making or using simile. Such comparisons
Universitas Sumatera Utara
are literal not figurative. A simile must compare two basically unlike things that are found to be alike.
2.4.2.7 Irony
