3 ms·

I like the convention in most space-exploration sci-fi of calling natural planetary satellites "moons" and stars with planetary systems "suns", but calling our

• dijit 12y ago
  that's not just Sci-fi, that's their actual names in latin, which means that's what's used in science. Luna and Sol: Root origins of "Solar System" and "Lunar eclipse" etc;
  • quarterto 12y ago
    Well, yes, but they're not used as names in common speech, hence my point.
    • ejk314 12y ago
      I bet there's a word for that - using the more general term for something as a proper noun when the meaning is obvious from context. Like calling the largest nearby city just "The City". I figure it's the same general idea behind calling it "The Moon".
      • innguest 12y ago
        Metonym?
        • mturmon 12y ago
          Also, synecdoche ("a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa")
    • Shorel 12y ago
      'Sol' and 'Luna' are used as their names in common speech, every single day, in all Spanish speaking countries.
      • quarterto 12y ago
        And this is a conversation about English common names and literature.