Question

What is the difference between metonymy and synecdoche in the following sentences? Justify your answers

i. He has many mouths to feed
ii.The kettle is boiling.
iii. Education extends from the cradle to the grave.
iv. Take out your Shakespeare.
v. I have my daily bread to earn.

Answer 1

The difference between synecdoche and metonymy is that, synecdoche uses a part of the whole to represent something, whereas, metonymy uses a different word or phrase to represent something in place to the original term. 
i. Synecdoche - using the word "mouth" that represents a part of an individual
ii. Synecdoche - using the word "kettle" to represent the whole part of that is being boiled.
iii. Metonymy - using the words "cradle" and "grave" as a representation for the actual terms "birth" and "death".
iv. Metonymy - using the term "Shakespeare" referring to someone who likes to write poems
v. Metonymy - using the term "daily bread" which refers to basic needs.