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Synecdoche
This website is about a particular type of synecdoche -- substituting an instance of a category for the whole category.
1. No charity work for Mr. Jules Amthor. Cash on the line for him.
2. No Thursdays at the County Hospital for Mr. Jules Amthor. Cash on the line for him. (Chandler, Farewell My Lovely, pages 103-104)
Chandler mentioned a specific instance of charity work (#2), but he expected the reader to understand his sentence as being about charity work in general.
Why didn't he just say what he meant? (#1)
I had written:
1. I'll wear whatever they give me.
I changed it to:
2. I'll wear just kite string if they want.
I meant to say she would wear any clothing, no matter how revealing. #1 describes that category; #2 presents an instance.
My original version was clear (in context) and said exactly what the reader should understand. Why in the world would any author -- such as myself, Chandler, or you -- present an instance of the category when the author meant the whole category?
Answer
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