BỘ CÔNG THƯƠNG

TRƯỜNG ĐH CÔNG NGHIỆP THỰC PHẨM TP. HỒ CHÍ MINH

KHOA NGOẠI NGỮ
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TIỂU LUẬN HỌC PHẦN: NGỮ NGHĨA HỌC

METONYMY IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE LANGUAGES

Giảng viên hướng dẫn: Nguyễn Thị Châu Anh

Sinh viên thực hiện: Nguyễn Minh Tú - 2029190319

Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, tháng 05 năm 2022

 MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE
HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF FOOD INDUSTRY
FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
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COURSE NAME: ENGLISH SEMANTICS

METONYMY IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE LANGUAGES

Lecturer: Nguyễn Thị Châu Anh

Students: Nguyễn Minh Tú - 2029190319

Ho Chi Minh City, May 2022

 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First of all, we would like to express our sincere thanks to the School
Administrators of Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry, who have created the
most favorable conditions for us to successfully complete this subject in general and this
essay in particular.
We would like also to acknowledge the Faculty of Foreign Languages for always
understanding, supporting, and creating the best learning conditions for students to meet
the requirements for the final essay while accumulating core knowledge during the study
as well as the process of making this assignment.
We also do not forget to express our sincerest and deepest appreciation to Ms.
Nguyen Thi Chau Anh, lecturer at Ho Chi Minh University of Food Industry. During
the process of teaching as well as writing this essay, she has always wholeheartedly
cared, supported and guided us so that we can not only ensure the quality of our learning,
but also meet the standards required by the school in the final essay.
With certain limitations in terms of knowledge and time, essay inevitably makes
mistakes. We hope the teachers can give us suggestions can improve our knowledge.
Finally, we would like to wish the teachers getting good health and success in your
work.
Sincerely, thank you!
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1
CONTENT ..................................................................................................................... 2
1. METONYMY IN ENGLISH. .............................................................................. 2
1.1. Definition. ....................................................................................................... 2
1.2. Metonymy classification. ............................................................................... 2
1.2.1. A sign substitutes for a person or an object. ......................................................... 2
1.2.2. An instrument/a tool substitutes for an agent. ....................................................... 3
1.2.3. A container substitute for the thing contained. ..................................................... 3
1.2.4. The concrete substitutes for the abstract. .............................................................. 3
1.2.5. The abstract substitutes for the concrete. .............................................................. 3
1.2.6. The material substitutes for the thing made. ......................................................... 4
1.2.7. The creator substitutes for the product. ................................................................ 4
1.3. The distinction between metaphor and metonymy. ................................... 4
1.4. The distinction between synecdoche and metonymy. ................................. 5
2. METONYMY IN VIETNAMESE. ...................................................................... 5
2.1. Definition. ....................................................................................................... 5
2.2. Metonymy classification. ............................................................................... 6
2.2.1. One part replaces the whole. ................................................................................. 6
2.2.2. The container replaces the thing contained. ......................................................... 6
2.2.3. The sign of the thing that substitutes for the thing. ............................................... 6
2.2.4. Concrete to replace abstract. ................................................................................ 6
2.3. The distinction between metaphor and metonymy. ................................... 7
2.4. Compare metonymy in English and Vietnamese. ....................................... 7
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 9
REFERENCES ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
INTRODUCTION
Humans are also an animal, but we have fundamental differences that make
humans considered the highest animal. Humans have language as one of them. When
and how did language appear? This is an unanswered question. Various hypotheses have
been put forward, such as language is given by gods, people imitate the sounds of nature,
the need to form social organizations has made people create language, …. Language is
an indispensable thing for human beings. That is why people are always interested in
language and build a whole science about it. That is linguistics. In it, “Semantics is a
branch of linguistics that deals with meaning”. (Thanh, 2007)

Along with the development of humankind, language also develops. Rhetoric is a way
of using language, especially in a specific context, to create unique values in expression
and make an impression on readers and listeners. Metonymy is one of the widely used
rhetorical devices in literature and poetry. In this research paper, I will analyze and
compare metonymy in English and Vietnamese languages.

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CONTENT

1. METONYMY IN ENGLISH.

1.1. Definition.

The word “metonymy” is derived from the Greek μετωνυμία – metōnymía,

meaning a change of name. Regarding the definition of metonymy, many cognitive
linguists have their definitions. Of these, the earliest definition is found in the treatise
Rhetorica ad Herennium: “Metonymy is a trope that takes its expression from near and
close things and by which we can comprehend a thing that is not denominated by its
proper word”. (Panther, 1999)
Lakoff said that metonymy is “one entity is being used to refer to another” (1980).
Meanwhile, the definition of metonymy of Radden and Kövecses is widely advocated
and frequently interpreted: “Metonymy is a cognitive process in which one conceptual
entity, the vehicle, provides mental access to another conceptual entity, the target, within
the same idealized cognitive model”. (1999)
Most linguists agree that: “Metonymy was part of the tropical triad of metaphor,
metonymy, and synecdoche or else of the quadruple of metaphor, metonymy,
synecdoche, and irony”. (Nerlich, 2005)
After all, metonymy is a tool used to change the name of something using an
associated word.

1.2. Metonymy classification.

In terms of Semantics, metonymy is divided into seven categories.

1.2.1. A sign substitutes for a person or an object.

A sign that signifies or represents a person or an object has often been used to
substitute for that person or thing.
For example:
- Alex will swear loyalty to the crown.
A crown is a type of hat worn on the head of a king or queen, but in the example
above, it is used to indicate that the person wearing this hat is a king or queen. So, its
meaning is not that Alex will swear loyalty to the crown but the person wearing it.
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 1.2.2. An instrument/a tool substitutes for an agent.

Often an instrument/a tool is used to signify the person who does the job or the job
it does.
Take a look at this famous example:
- The pen is mightier than the sword. (Bulwer-Lytton, 1839)
Obviously, between a sword and a pen, we all know the sword is much sharper,
but in this example, it is different. This example has two metonyms, “pen” and “sword”.
The pen is the metonym of the written word, and the sword is the metonym of military
aggression.

1.2.3. A container substitute for the thing contained.

When one thing contains another, it can often be used to make a metonymy.
Example:
- I'm mighty glad Georgia waited till after Christmas before it secedes, or it
would have ruined the Christmas parties. (Mitchell, 1936)
Scarlett O'Hara (the main character in Mitchell's book) refers to Georgia’s
government and citizens instead of using: “Georgia’s government, politicians and all the
voting citizens” in this metonymy.

1.2.4. The concrete substitutes for the abstract.

A touchable object, place, or body part is used to refer to a related concept.

Let us take a look at this metonymy:
- Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; (Shakespeare, 1599)
The ear is the body part of vertebrates and is the sense that detects sound and
represents the ability to hear. In Shakespeare's metonymy, "lend me your ears" is not
asking people to cut off their ears and lend it to him, but to pay attention.

1.2.5. The abstract substitutes for the concrete.

Except the concrete is substituted for the abstract, the abstract can also be
substituted for the concrete.
For example:
- Tom’s new ride was cheap.
In this example, the word “ride” is a metonym for the car.

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 1.2.6. The material substitutes for the thing made.

This is a type of metonymy in which the product’s material is used to refer to it.
For example:
- Her glass collection is so beautiful.
Glass is the material used to make vases and other products. Here, it is used to refer
to products made with it.

1.2.7. The creator substitutes for the product.

The work(s) and product(s) are substituted with the author’s name, producer.
For example:
- Have you read Shakespeare?
Everyone knows Shakespeare is one of England's greatest writers and has many
famous literary works, so his name is often used to refer to those works. His name in
this example is also a metonym.

1.3. The distinction between metaphor and metonymy.

A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one
thing by mentioning another. (Merriam-Webster, n.d.) It may provide (or obscure)
clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are often
compared with other types of figurative languages, such as antithesis, hyperbole,
metonymy, and simile. (The Oxford Companion to The English Language, 2nd Edition,
2018). Then what is the difference between metaphor and metonymy?
First, the metaphor comes from the Greek word “métaphore”, which meaning
carries over. On the other hand, metonymy is derived from the word “metōnymía”,
meaning a term change.
Let us consider the two following sentences:
- The snow is a white blanket. (1)
- If we don’t get these reports in today, the suits will be after us. (2)
Sentence (1) is a metaphor, the meaning of this sentence is to compare the snow to
a white blanket. Whereas sentence (2) is a metonymy, the word suits replaced
businesspeople.

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 Based on the two sentences (1) and (2), we have the second difference: metaphor
replaces one concept with another while metonymy replaces it with a term related to.
Third, metaphor expands the meaning of a word based on similarity, and
metonymy is a way of developing the definition of a word based on its association with
another word.

1.4. The distinction between synecdoche and metonymy.

Synecdoche is when someone references a component or part of something when

they intend the whole thing, or when they reference an entire something, and the pen
means a part of it. Synecdoche and metonymy are similar literary devices; however,
there is still a slight difference between metonymy and synecdoche.
First, the word synecdoche comes from the Greek word "sunekdokhḗ", which
means receiving together. In contrast, metonymy is derived from the word
“metōnymía”, meaning a word change.
Let us analyze the following two sentences:
- Carl has costly wheels. (1)
- When we arrived, he offered us a cup. (2)
In sentence (1), the word "wheels" does not mean wheels, but actually, it is a
synecdoche of Carl's car. Meanwhile, in sentence (2), the word "a cup" is the metonymy
of the drink in the cup.
From the two sentences above, we can see that metonymy uses another term related
to the meaning of a signifying word to replace the original concept. So a metonymy is
usually a proper noun. On the other hand, synecdoche takes a part of things to represent
the original word or phrase and vice versa.

2. METONYMY IN VIETNAMESE.

2.1. Definition.

Metonymy is a method of changing the meaning of a word by taking the name of

a thing or phenomenon to refer to another thing or phenomenon based on the necessary
relationship between those things or phenomena. (Tư, 2009)

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 After all, metonymy is naming a thing, phenomenon, or concept by the name of
another thing, phenomenon, or concept closely related to increasing the evocative and
evocative power of expression.

2.2. Metonymy classification.

There are four common metonymy types in Vietnamese.

2.2.1. One part replaces the whole.

This metonymy replaces the name of an object with a part on the object.
Take a look at this poem:
- Bàn tay ta làm nên tất cả
Có sức người sỏi đá cũng thành cơm. (Thông, 1948)
The hand is a part of the human body. The word “bàn tay” in the two verses above
replaces man because man is the subject of labor and wealth creation.

2.2.2. The container replaces the thing contained.

It is common to get a container to replace the thing contained.

For example:
- Hắn vừa bước vào, cả phòng cười ồ lên.
In this sentence, the word “cả phòng” is substituted for the people in the room, and
they are the ones making the laugh.

2.2.3. The sign of the thing that substitutes for the thing.

A sign belonging to a thing is often substituted for that thing.

Example:
- Áo chàm đưa buổi phân li
Cầm tay nhau biết nói gì hôm nay. (Hữu, 1947-1954)
In daily life, the people who live in Việt Bắc often wear indigo. When the author
uses the word "áo chàm" to replace the people in Việt Bắc, it helps readers have an
association with people who live in there right away.

2.2.4. Concrete to replace abstract.

A specific, touchable object that is used as a substitute for an abstract thing.

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 Let's analyze this proverb together:
- Một cây làm chẳng nên non
Ba cây chụm lại nên hòn núi cao
The example above has "một cây" and "ba cây" indicating specific quantities.
Meanwhile, "chẳng nên non" is a metonymy for the inability to do great things, and "hòn
núi cao" is a metonymy for the ability to do great things. It can be seen, "chẳng nên non"
and "hòn núi cao" is an abstraction.

2.3. The distinction between metaphor and metonymy.

Things and phenomena in metonymy are closely related as substitutes of the

category of things and phenomena. Meanwhile, the objects and phenomena in the
metaphor must have similarities, such as similarities in form, manner, quality, and
sensory transformation.
Let’s consider the two following examples:
- Ngày ngày mặt trời đi qua trên lăng,
Thấy một mặt trời trong lăng rất đỏ. (Phương, 1978) (1)
- Áo xanh liền với áo nâu
Nông thôn cùng với thị thành đứng lên. (Hữu, 1981) (2)
In the example (1) metaphorical metabolism of the “mặt trời”. “Mặt trời” is a
symbol of Uncle Ho, who has traveled around the world to find measures to salivate the
country of his nation. The Uncle Ho has brightened as a second sun.
The metonymy in the example (2) is shown between "áo xanh" and "áo nâu" along
with "nông thôn" and "thị thành." In that, "áo xanh" and "thị thành" used to replace
workers, traders, civil servants, .... "Áo nâu" and "nông thôn" used to replace farmers.

2.4. Compare metonymy in English and Vietnamese.

In terms of definition, there is not much difference between English metonymy

and Vietnamese metonymy. They are all using another term related to that concept to
replace it.

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 Regarding classification, the metonymy of the English language has up to seven
types, while Vietnamese metonymy has only four types. Even so, they cover all cases
commonly used in literature and everyday life.
Regarding the distinction between metonymy and metaphor, in the distinction of
the English language, it has a distinction based on the origin of the two words metonymy
and metaphor. As for the rest, although the expressions are different, the distinction
between metaphor and metonymy of the two languages is still applied the same.
Nevertheless, there is another point that there is a distinction between metonymy
and synecdoche in English, but Vietnamese does not. The reason for this is that the
Vietnamese metonymy classification has one part replaces the whole. This type of
metonymy includes the synecdoche.

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CONCLUSION

Metonymy in both English and Vietnamese languages is one of the essential

rhetorical devices in expressing emotions, describing in literature and speech to make
an impression on readers and listeners. Whatever the definition, it is essentially a tool, a
means to change the name of a concept by another name. Although each classification
is different, it still covers all needed to help identify metonymy in a text or a passage.

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Metonymy in Language and Thought (p. 21). Amsterdam/Philadenphia: John
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webster.com/dictionary/metaphor

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Mitchell, M. (1936). Gone With the Wind. Macmillan Publishers.

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(Second Edition). New York: Elsevier Science.

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Phương, V. (1978). Viếng lăng Bác. In V. Phương, Như mây mùa xuân.

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Thông, T. H. (1948). Bài ca vỡ đất.

Tư, L. Đ. (2009). Nhập môn ngôn ngữ học. Hà Nội: Nhà xuất bản Giáo dục.

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