On Ethical Function Of Synecdoche

Synecdoche,one of the four master tropes(the others being metaphor,metonymy and irony),has a long history and prominent position in Western rhetoric.However,it is now either neglected or treated merely as a subclass of metonymy.Ethos,one of Aristotle’s three persuasive appeals,is a core rhetorical concept,but compared with logos and pathos(the other two appeals),few studies have investigated it from the perspective of figurative function.Linking synecdoche with ethos,this study aims at analyzing the prominent junzi synecdoches in Mencius so as to explore whether and how these synecdoches achieve the three concrete ethical dimensions of "good sense","good moral character",and "goodwill".Due to the vagueness and controversy in defining and classifying synecdoche,this thesis closely surveys the representative studies,and finds that synecdoche involves the substitution between a more general category and a related narrower category,and that the two categories bear the relation of inclusion with three particular kinds:substitution between whole and part,substitution between genus and species(general and particular)and substitution between the abstract and the concrete.Junzi,widely used in pre-Qin classics,comprises(upon some related studies)a rich variety of connotations,such as benevolence,righteousness,decorum,wisdom,courage,responsibility,hardship awareness and constant endeavour.In accordance with the purposive sampling in qualitative research,five representative discourses of Mencius are selected:Part B of Gongsun Chou,Part B of Duke Wen of Teng,Part B of Li Lou,and Part A and Part B of Wan Zhang,where junzi synecdoches are located and their ethical functions are interpreted in detail.The findings show that junzi synecdoches in the selected discourses of Mencius either refer to a certain kind of people or to a specific person.The former includes benevolent rulers,common intellectuals,down-to-earth intellectuals,and sensible intellectuals with right values and outlooks on life.The latter includes Mencius,the Duke of Zhou,King Qi,Chen Jia,Zichan,Shun,Confucius and Zisi.All junzi substitutions belong to genus-for-species type of synecdoche,that is,the broad category junzi with rich connotative personalities is employed to substitute a particular kind of people or a specific individual.The study also proves that junzi synecdoches achieve all the three dimensions of ethos/ethical appeal.Good sense is reflected through "knowledge","authority","caution","prudence" and"self-cognition";good moral character is embodied by "modesty","respect" and"self-esteem";and goodwill is realized via "considering others’benefits".Regarding the above subelements of the three specific ethical dimensions,in Mencius,good sense is the most salient.Given their frequency,it is more challenging to judge.The calculations reveal that good sense is achieved by junzi synecdoches in six chapters of four discourses for eight times;good moral character,in six chapters of three discourses for seven times;and goodwill,in ten chapters of five discourses for thirteen times.Comparatively speaking,the ethical appeal of goodwill achieved by junzi synecdoches in Mencius is the most salient in terms of frequency.The findings are expected to attract more attention to this significant trope of synecdoche and broaden further its function scope.Moreover,the applicability of"ethos"in the analysis of Mencus can serve as a worthy reference for exploring other Western rhetorical categories in the interpretation of Chinese classics.