God bless the internet.

The Guide to Grammar and Writing website of the Capitol Community College Foundation, Hartford, Conneticut, has an online "grammar question request" form, which does exactly what it says on the tin. You then get an email from one of their team with an answer.

So last night I ask them about the linguistic query in my last post - and this morning I get an email. The word is:

metonymy (n) : substituting the name of an attribute or feature for the name of the thing itself (as in `they counted heads') (more)

What an amazing resource. This is the sort of thing that redeems the internet's reputation from its association with porn and pop-up advertisements.

On a more self-centred note, I've asked them if they need any volunteers. I may finally have discovered my dream public service job...