Friday, March 7, 2008

Metonywha?

Regarding our fascinating discussion today about whether "sip" is a metonym or synecdoche, it struck me that the reason some of you might have been so ... convinced ... that sip is a part of drink is the nature of "drink" itself. That is, it's already a metonym for "beverage" or "glass of whatever." Much in the way we might call food "eats" (well, I wouldn't, but I've seen it), we refer to a beverage by what we do with it rather than by a part. So when one says "yes, but a sip is part of the larger act of drinking," I say, "ok, but 'drinking' is still a metonym for what one drinks."

Now, had I said "grape" for wine ...

Isn't figurative language fun?

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