Something my dad wants to know...

[Ameena]

Well, he says it's been bugging him for ages, and I just thought it might be the kind of thing people here might know/be able to find out .
He wants to know the name given to the term when you use, like, the name of an inanimate object to describe a person or a group of people. For example, in court you don't say "the judge", you say "the bench", and at a meeting you refer to the person in charge as "the chair". The Prime Minister is sometimes referred to as "10 Downing Street" and the president of the USA is "The White House". That kind of thing.
Anyone know?

[beowuuf]

lol, reverse anthropormophising....you are right, there must be a name for it!

[cowsmanaut]

well it's reffering to them by their station rather than their title. I'm not sure if that's what you mean. I did a search through the net and found reference to the act but no name for the act.

Also I think chair is a bit of a side step on this issue as it's simply a shortening of "chairman"

moo

[Zyx]

That's a metonymy. However there are several categories, whose names are only known by experts, which I am not, so I can't help you further.

[beowuuf]

my friend thinks it's just 'antipersonification' *shrug*
I couldn't find any other word for it searchign the web : )

[cowsmanaut]

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=metonymy

sounds close enough to me.

I've learned a new word today.. not sure how I would be using it.. but there it is

[beowuuf]

yeah zyx and multiple posting! i'd go with that too. knew there must be one : )

[Valderra]

a group of people.

One description is: a body...

[Ameena]

Whee thought that would spark off a lot of replies, lol. I think Cow/Zyx have it but I'll have to show my dad and see if that's what he meant lol.
Thanks peeps

[Selie]

Metonymy is correct. I can get you another definition from my "handbook of literary terms" if you want, along with the name of the opposite term (part for whole vs. whole for part). I had to study these terms when I was participating in the UIL Literary Criticism contest in high school (is my nerdiness coming through yet?) and I kept the dictionary of terms we used because it's an interesting read.

[cowsmanaut]

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=synecdoche

[Selie]

That's the one. Thank you, cow. ^_^

I really SHOULD remember these things on my own. I know I know them, but ... do I know I know I know them? ... err, never mind.

[linflas]

wow... i just learnt a new word today, first in english and then translated to french i realised i didn't know it at all

[cowsmanaut]

not only that but you are at the Eiffel tower with Cheese and wine.

You must be feeling very cultured and refined now..

[linflas]

definitely