Jump to content

Totum pro parte: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
space
 
(69 intermediate revisions by 55 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{short description|Latin phrase meaning "the whole for a part"; form of metonymy}}
{{italic title}}
{{italic title}}
{{refimprove|date=March 2016}}
'''''Totum pro parte''''' is [[Latin]] for "the whole for a part"; it refers to a kind of [[synecdoche]]. When used in a context of language it means that something is named after something of which it is only a part (or only a limited characteristic, in itself not necessarily representative for the whole). A ''[[pars pro toto]]'' (in which a part is used to describe the whole) is the opposite of a ''totum pro parte''.<ref>[http://www.odlt.org/ballast/totum_pro_parte.html Online Dictionary of Language Terminology (ODLT) s.v. totum pro parte]</ref>
'''{{lang|la|Totum pro parte}}''' is [[Latin]] for "the whole for a part"; it refers to a kind of [[metonymy]]. The plural is '''{{lang|la|tota pro partibus}}''', "wholes for parts". In context of language, it means something is named after something of which it is only a part (or only a limited characteristic, not necessarily representative of the whole). A {{lang|la|[[pars pro toto]]}} (in which a part is used to describe the whole) is the opposite of a {{lang|la|totum pro parte}}.<ref>[http://www.odlt.org/ballast/totum_pro_parte.html Online Dictionary of Language Terminology, "totum pro parte"].</ref>


==In geography==
==In geography==
Some [[placenames]] of large areas are commonly used to refer synonymously to a smaller part of the larger area than is strictly deemed correct. Examples of this include:
Some [[toponymy|place names]] of large areas are commonly used to refer synonymously to a smaller part of the larger area than is strictly deemed correct. Examples of this include:

* "[[Americas|America]]" for the [[United States of America]] (see [[use of the word American]])
* "[[Latin America]]" for [[South America]]
* "[[Americas|America]]" for the [[United States]] (see [[American (word)|use of the word American]])
* "[[Asia]]" for [[East Asia|East]] and [[Southeast Asia]] (conversely, Asia is a [[pars pro toto]], originally referring only to [[Asia Minor]])
* "[[China]]" for the People's Republic of China since the 1970s, and prior to that, the [[Taiwan|Republic of China]]
* "The Congo" for the [[Republic of the Congo]] or the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]]
* "[[Europe]]" for the [[European Union]] or for [[Continental Europe]] excluding the [[British Isles]]
* "[[Germany]]" was often used for [[West Germany]] during the [[Cold War]]
* "[[Ireland]]" for the [[Republic of Ireland]] excluding [[Northern Ireland]]
* "[[Korea]]" for [[South Korea]], excluding [[North Korea]]
* "Macedonia" for the [[North Macedonia|Republic of North Macedonia]] (see [[Macedonia naming dispute]])
* "[[Micronesia]]" for the [[Federated States of Micronesia]]
* "[[Micronesia]]" for the [[Federated States of Micronesia]]
* [[Nanyang (region)|Nanyang]], [[Maritime Southeast Asia]], [[Malay Archipelago]], [[Sunda Islands]] for [[Indonesia]]
* "[[Korea]]" for [[South Korea]] (or by the North Korean government and its supporters - for [[North Korea]])
* During the [[Cold War]], "[[Germany]]" was often used for [[West Germany]].
* "Macedonia" for the [[Republic of Macedonia]] (Controversial - see [[Macedonia naming dispute]])
* "[[Ulster]]" for [[Northern Ireland]]
* "[[Ulster]]" for [[Northern Ireland]]
* "[[Western Hemisphere]]" for the [[Americas]]
*"[[China]]" for the People's Republic of China since the 1970s, and prior to that, the [[Republic of China]].
* "Yemen" was often used for [[Yemen Arab Republic|North Yemen]]
*"The Congo" for the [[Republic of the Congo]].
* "[[Northumbria (modern)|Northumbria]]" for [[North East England]] or historic [[Northumberland]] and [[County Palatine of Durham|County Durham]]
*"Yemen" for [[North Yemen]]

The [[capital city]] of a country is often used to refer to the national [[government]] of the country.
* "[[Washington, DC]]", "Washington", or "DC" are often used to refer to the [[Federal government of the United States|United States government]].
* "[[Kyiv]]" to refer to the [[Government of Ukraine|Ukrainian government]].
* "[[London]]" to refer to the [[Government of the United Kingdom|British government]].

===International bodies===
Similar to capital cities, the name of a city can be used to refer to the headquarters of [[international organization|intergovernmental organizations]]. Notable examples include:
*"[[New York City|New York]]" to refer to the [[headquarters of the United Nations]], or the [[United Nations]] more generally.
*"[[The Hague]]" can refer to any of the [[international courts]] currently or formerly headquartered in The Hague. Most commonly it refers to the [[International Court of Justice]] or the [[International Criminal Court]], which are often confused. Being "brought to the Hague" can refer to prosecution for [[War crime|war crimes]] more generally, often at the ICC.


==Other examples==
==Other examples==
The verb "to drink" is often used in this manner. Depending on context it can stand for the generic, standard definition "to consume a [[fluid]]" (e.g. "I'm thirsty, is there anything to drink?") or for the narrow, limited definition "to [[wiki:imbibe|imbibe]] [[alcoholic beverage]]s" (e.g. "He goes out to drink too often").
The verb "to drink" is often used in this manner. Depending on context it can stand for the generic, standard definition "to consume a [[liquid]]" (e.g. "I'm thirsty, is there anything to drink?") or for the narrow, limited definition "to [[wikt:imbibe|imbibe]] [[alcoholic beverage]]s" (e.g. "He goes out to drink too often"). Also, ''[[fluid]]'' can be used for ''liquid'', as in ''[[brake fluid]]'' or ''[[bodily fluid]]''. (The presence of air, a fluid, is not wanted when there is ''low fluid''.)


* "[[Ranked-choice voting (disambiguation)|Ranked-choice voting]]" as a [[misnomer]] for "[[Instant-runoff voting]]"
An athletic team is often called by the name of the whole (e.g. a city, country or organization) it represents:
* "[[Fiddle]]" referring to a modern violin, just one of a broader category of instruments called "fiddles."
* "Go Navy: beat Army" (a cheer for the team representing the United States Naval Academy in a contest against the team representing the United States Military Academy)
* "[[Art]]" specifically referring to [[visual art]]
* "[[Processed food]]" specifically referring to [[ultra-processed food]], not older techniques such as salt preservation
* "[[New wave music]]" referring to a style of [[synth-pop]] influenced by early new wave
* "[[Puzzle]]" referring specifically to a [[jigsaw puzzle]]
* "[[Technology]]" referring to [[electronic device]]s or specifically [[digital electronics]]
* "[[Internet]]" for the "[[World Wide Web|World Wide Web (WWW)]]"; the Internet is a network of computer networks, whereas the WWW is a network of hypertext documents that one accesses via the Internet.
* "[[Personal computer|PC]]" to mean a computer running [[Microsoft]] [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
* "[[Summer]]" to mean only [[summer vacation]]
* "The People of the [[State of California]]" to mean only the elected state legislators

=== Athletic teams ===
* "Go Navy: beat Army" (a cheer for the team representing the [[United States Naval Academy]] in a contest against the team representing the [[United States Military Academy]])
* "Houston will be in New York this weekend"
* "Houston will be in New York this weekend"
* "Russia thrashed the Czech Republic" (the [[Russia national football team]] defeated the [[Czech Republic national football team]]).
* "Russia thrashed the Czech Republic" (the [[Russia national football team]] defeated the [[Czech Republic national football team]])
* The "[[Internet]]" for the "[[World Wide Web]]" (the Internet is a network of computer networks, whereas the WWW is a network of hypertext documents that one accesses via the Internet)


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Hyperbole]]
*[[Metonymy]]
*[[Metonymy]]
*[[Pars pro toto]]
*[[Pars pro toto]]
*[[Synecdoche]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|1}}
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;">
<references /></div>



[[Category:Figures of speech]]
[[Category:Figures of speech]]
[[Category:Latin words and phrases]]
[[Category:Latin words and phrases]]
[[Category:Synecdoche]]
[[Category:Synecdoche]]

[[ca:Totum pro parte]]
[[de:Totum pro parte]]
[[es:Totum pro parte]]
[[id:Totum pro parte]]
[[pl:Totum pro parte]]
[[sr:Totum pro parte]]
[[uk:Totum pro parte]]

Latest revision as of 00:15, 15 November 2024

Totum pro parte is Latin for "the whole for a part"; it refers to a kind of metonymy. The plural is tota pro partibus, "wholes for parts". In context of language, it means something is named after something of which it is only a part (or only a limited characteristic, not necessarily representative of the whole). A pars pro toto (in which a part is used to describe the whole) is the opposite of a totum pro parte.[1]

In geography

[edit]

Some place names of large areas are commonly used to refer synonymously to a smaller part of the larger area than is strictly deemed correct. Examples of this include:

The capital city of a country is often used to refer to the national government of the country.

International bodies

[edit]

Similar to capital cities, the name of a city can be used to refer to the headquarters of intergovernmental organizations. Notable examples include:

Other examples

[edit]

The verb "to drink" is often used in this manner. Depending on context it can stand for the generic, standard definition "to consume a liquid" (e.g. "I'm thirsty, is there anything to drink?") or for the narrow, limited definition "to imbibe alcoholic beverages" (e.g. "He goes out to drink too often"). Also, fluid can be used for liquid, as in brake fluid or bodily fluid. (The presence of air, a fluid, is not wanted when there is low fluid.)

Athletic teams

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]