Antonomasia

The antonomasia (Greek other name ) is a trope, specifically a type of metonymy in which a significant property or apposition one takes the place of a proper name.

Antonomasien today are built mainly in journalism to bring variety into a text if the name of a person would otherwise have to occur frequently. This type of periphrasis is an alternative to ( repeated ) use of personal pronouns. In various departments like literary critics and sports journalism, specific antonomasia preferences have evolved. It is often too little attention that the information content of a antonomasia may interfere with the testimony of a sentence considerably.

Antonomasien can not only be used as synonyms for persons but also for cities, countries or objects.

Examples

Classic examples of Antonomasien are " the son of Aphrodite " instead of Eros, " the ruler of the sea" instead of Neptune, and " the Creator of the world " instead of God. Examples from the modern journalism are " the former Chancellor " instead of Helmut Kohl and " Kerpener " instead of Michael Schumacher.

On a fictional press release about Gerhard Schröder Bastian tried to demonstrate that the accumulation of Antonomasien, as can be observed in sports journalism, in the policy section of a newspaper would be rather inappropriate:

" To kick off the conference, the 60 -year-old SPD -Star the questions of the press., I am very confident ', the Hanoverian, that what we have set out, in its feasibility is also feasible. ' The professional politician who is currently struggling with a reform sprain, is also 2006 again go to start. Joschka and I are in agreement, and Doris is also this, 'revealed the two-time election winner of 1998 and 2002. "

Variants

The classic antonomasia, as already occurs in Homer as often used decorative epithets ( epithets ornantia ) that might occur as a supplement to a name other than replacement of that name. Instead of Zeus, the Olympian Lord of lightning, it can mean something like:

"Even the Olympian Lord of Lightning went to the camp, where he has always rested, delicious slumber took hold of him. "

A Vossianische antonomasia other hand, is a first in modern times regarded as a special form of antonomasia Trope, conversely, a proper name replaces a generic name in, about Shakespeare for poets (or great poet ). This related to the synecdoche use reduces a really intentioned characteristic, function, or thing on their representatives generally known. It must be clear that someone will be referred to, for example, as a traitor when he is called "Judas".