A new film has just been released in the US, which is annoying the critics because its title uses a difficult word with difficult pronunciation. The film is Synecdoche, New York [pronounce it something like: sin-NECK-dock-ee]. If synecdoche is to become more well known we should also know what it means. It is a figure of speech where there is a deliberate confusion of scale:

• a part is used for the whole (use muscle for thugs);

• the whole for a part (media for a journalist);

• the specific for the general (cutthroat for assassin),

• the general for the specific (creature for a man); or

• the name of the material for the thing made (canvas for tent).

It is an apt time to discuss synecdoche as we are at present talking about Australia winning 14 medals at the Olympics (particularly those from Great Britain who won 16) when, of course, it was the Australian Olympic team that won the medals.

Avoid confusion of scale! Use Madrigal Communications to create your part, your whole, your specific or your general messages!