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Antonomasia is a stylistic device based on the interaction of the logical and nominal meanings of the same word. As in other stylistic devices based on the interaction of lexical meanings, the two kinds of meanings must be realized in the word simultaneously. The realization of only one meaning does not give a stylistic device.
Antonomasia is mostly used in the belles-lettres style. Here are some illustrations widely used in emotive prose and drama.
Mr. Sparkish, a dandy, a man who pays too much care to his clothes and personal appearance (compare with the adjective sparkle); Sir. Fidget, a person who moves about restlessly, shows sings of impatience.
Sometimes capital letters are the only marks of the use of antonomasia. E.g.: Lord Nobody, Dr. Goodfeel. In such names the leading characteristic feature of a person or some event is marked or mentioned.
Antonomasia stands close to epithets. The author stresses the prominent features of a person and sticks these features to his name: Mr. Sharp, Mr. Backbite, and Mr. Zero. Such names are called token or tell-tale names. They give information to the reader about the bearer of the name. Antonomasia points out the leading, most characteristic feature of a person or an event.
Associated with epithets it denotes certain qualities of a person. Many nicknames of historical or public characters are based on the use of such characterization. E.g.: The Iron Duke (the first Duke of Wellington); The Iron Lady (Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime minister of Great Britain).
Another type of antonomasia is metonymic antonomasia which is based on the relation of contiguity. A product can be named after the inventor, manufacturer or after the place where it is produced: Bordeaux (white or red wine from the Bordeaux region of France). The name of a painter, writer, sculptor can be used to denote his work: A Titian-haired girl, the reference is made to the paintings of the worlds greatest Italian painter Titian, women in his pictures are generally red-haired. Wall street the chief financial center of the USA; the White House the US Presidents residence and office; the Pentagon, the building where US Army headquarters are placed; Downing Street, street in London with official residences of the Prime Minister, the Government.
We distinguish metaphoric antonomasia, which is usually considered to be a cliché. E.g.: He is a regular Sherlock Holms may be said about an observant person; Romeo and Juliet, young people who love each other.
The significance of antonomasia in belles-lettres style should not be neglected because it helps to reveal the hidden meaning of the story of narration. E.g.: in Shakespeares Hamlet at the end of the play the Prince of Norway, Fortinbrass appears on the stage. The meaning of his name is significant in interpreting Shakespeares conception. It consists of two words: fort and brass. The first word means a building specially strengthened for military defence, the second word brass is a French word and denotes a hand. The implication is that people need a strong and brave ruler (King) in this country.
Depending on the character of the contextual meaning there are two types of antonomasia:
that based on the interaction between the nominal and contextual logical meanings;
that based on the interaction between the logical and contextual nominal meanings.
To the first group we shall refer those cases in which a proper noun is used for a common noun. Proper name in this type of an antonomasia expresses some quality connected with the character of a person whose name is used: so Othello stands for a jealous person. Don Juan for amorous.
When OHenry says: Every Caesar has his Brutus, using the names of these two well-known Roman statesmen, he characterizes the relations between his heroes.
This type of antonomasia is usually trite, for the writer repeats the well-known, often-mentioned facts. Through long and consistent usage of a proper noun for a common noun the former may lose its nominal meaning.
In the second type of antonomasia we observe the interaction between the logical and the contextual nominal meanings, i.e. practically any common noun can be used as a common name. It is always original. In such cases the persons name serves his first characteristics. E.g.: Dickens names the talkative and boastful adventure from The Pick wick Papers Mr. Jingle, creating the association with the sound produced by a constantly shaking tongue of a bell. Most often humorists and satirists use these names-characteristics. Here are, for example, some Sheridans personages: Mr. Backbite, Mr. Snake, Mr. Carefree, etc.
The use of antonomasia is now not confined to the belles-lettres style. It is often found in publicistic style, that is in magazine and newspaper articles, in essays and also in military language.
I. Questions and Tasks
1. What is the linguistic nature of oxymoron?
2. State the structure of oxymoron.
3. What is the difference between original and trite oxymorons?
What are the structural models of oxymoron?
What is the stylistic devise of the epithet?
What structural varieties of epithets do you know?
Characterize language epithets.
What is the way of appearing individual epithets?
What is the stylistic function of epithet?
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