Home › Glossary › Letter N

name substitution

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A rhetorical substitution of a proper name with a descriptive epithet or periphrasis (e.g., “the Bard” for Shakespeare) for stylistic or symbolic effect.

Detailed Definition
Name substitution is a poetic device where a proper name is replaced by a descriptive phrase, epithet, or symbolic alias—such as “the bard” for Shakespeare or “the wanderer” for Odysseus—to evoke mythic resonance, protect identity, or emphasize a character’s role over individuality within the poem’s thematic framework.
Example
Example in poetry:
“The Bard” for Shakespeare; “The Swan of Avon”; “The Iron Lady” for Margaret Thatcher in political verse; “The Dark Lady” in Shakespeare’s sonnets
Additional Notes
Name substitution replaces a proper name with a descriptor, epithet, or symbol (e.g., “the Bard” for Shakespeare); it can create mystery, elevate status, or avoid direct reference for poetic effect.
Also Known As
Onomastic substitution nominal shift epithetic replacement poetic renaming Antonomasia Kyriologic Metonymy
Skip to main content