language as a model for graphic design - metonymy

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Metonymy (meh-ton´-uh-mee) is using the name of one thing to stand for another, related thing. When a newscaster states that "the Whitehouse said today," we know that he means "the president's spokesperson said today." The White House is a metonym for the president and his staff. Here's another example: The pen is mightier than the sword -- the pen represents publishing and the sword represents military force. More metonymy:
  • suits for office workers
  • my ride or wheels for a car
  • Wall Street for the financial world
  • sweat for hard labor
  • Capitol Hill for the U.S. Congress
  • the bottle for drinking

In this poster, an Israeli flag and a Palestinian flag are tied together by a large knot. The flags become metonyms for the Israeli and Palestinian people, signifying their peaceful coexistence.

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