Question

What's the difference between synecdoche and transferred epithet? How do I avoid goofups between the two?

Answer 1

• The major difference between a synecdoche and transferred epithet I have explained below using definition and examples.
• A synecdoche is a figure of speech referring to when a part of something is used to refer to the whole.
• For ex - "He showed of his threads". In this case, the man is flaunting his clothes, which are referred to as threads here so this is a synecdoche.
• A transferred epithet is a figure of speech in which a modifier qualifies a noun rather than the person/thing it is describing. The epithet is transferred from the noun it is meant to describe to another noun in the sentence.
• For ex - 'restless night': here what is actually described is a restless person.
• In case of synecdoche, look for some words that seem a part of something/ can be referred to as a whole.
• While in case of a transferred epithet look for adjectives that are describing a noun meant for another noun.