Antonomasia, periphrasis and hyperbole

Antonomasia. The interplay between logical and nominal meanings of a word is called antonomasia. As in other stylistic devices based on the interaction of lexical meanings, the two kinds of meanings must be realized in the word simultaneously.

Antonomasia is the use of a proper name instead of common noun or vice-versa. It can be metaphorical when based on similarity.

Ex. Her mother is perfectly unbearable, never met such a Gorgon. I don’t really know what a Gorgon is like, but I’m quite sure that lady Brecknell is one. In any case, she is a monster without being a myth.

Every Ceaser has its Brutus.

He is the Byron of our days.

Antonomasia can be metonymical when based on some association between a name & a referent, the reverse process when the common noun is used as a proper name can be illustrated by the example:

Ex. Mister Know all; “I wish to speak to you, John”, - said the family Curse. – “I’m greatly upset”.

Miss Simplicity, Mr. Proud, Mr. Fair-play

The main function of antonomasia is to characterize a person simultaneously with naming him/her. In this function antonomasia can be likened t epithets pointing out a most characteristic feature of a person. When employed in this function it is sometimes called “a tell-tale” or “a speaking name”.

It is very important to note that this stylistic device is mainly realized in the written language, because sometimes capital letters are the only signals of the stylistic device. But there is another point that should be mentioned. Most proper names are built in some law of analogy. Many of them end in “-son” (as Johnson) or “-er” (as Fletcher). We easily recognize such words as Smith, White, Brown, Green, Fowler and others as proper names. But such names as: Miss Blue-Eyes or Scrooge or Mr. Zero may be called token (символический) names. They give information to the reader about the bearer of the name.

Antonomasia is intended to point out the leading, most characteristic feature or event, at the same time pinning this leading trait as a proper name to the person or event concerned. Antonomasia is much favored device in the belles-lettres style.

Periphrasis is a stylistic device which denotes the process of renaming – the use of a different name instead of the traditionally used one with the aim of bringing out and intensifying some feature or quality of that object or phenomenon. Periphrasis - is a round-about way of speaking used to name some object or phenomenon, it is describing the object instead of naming it. Longer phrase is used instead of a shorter one. Some of the periphrases are borrowed from classical sources (myths and the Bible); others are typically English. Typically English periphrases are: Lake country (= England); The Lord; Almighty; Goodness; Heavens; the Skies (= God); a shield-bearer (= a soldier); a play of swords (= a battle). Periphrasis expresses an individual, purely subjective attitude to the object described.

Periphrases are divided into:

1. Logical - based on inherent properties of a thing, that is if the phrase used instead of a word describes the concept or specific feature. Ex.: instrument of destruction, the object of administration.

2. Figurative - based on imagery: metaphor, metonymy. Ex.: to tie a knot (= to get married), in disgrace of fortune (= bad luck).

Periphrasis is euphemistic if the phrase replaces a word which is undesirable, rude or embarrassing. Ex.: Frank called her a name which ladies seldom apply to one another in affection. She characterized you in terms suggestive of disapprobation.

Periphrasis is metaphorical if based on similarity of concepts. Ex.: Diana felt suddenly that she was on very thin ice.

Periphrasis is metonymical if based on associative relations between the two concepts. Ex.: The content of the bed sat up like a jack-in- the-box and said: “Who is that?”

Periphrasis may be viewed as both trite (the fair sex (= women), my better half (= a wife or a husband) and fresh (They were outnumbered by graying arrivals = older men; the punctual savant of all work = the sun; shouter = singer; prisoner = cook; hair butcher = hair dresser).

Stylistic periphrasis (the SD of periphrasis) should not be confused with language facts – trite word-combinations that are fixed in dictionaries as periphrastic synonyms for words, as my better half = a wife, gentlemen of the long robe = lawyer, the fair sex = women, an affair of honor = duel. Periphrasis is often used for the sake of humor, irony, satire or parody.