# Imprecise names of Canadian govt agencies

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imprecise-names-of-canadian-govt-agencies/291729>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 24, 2005, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imprecise-names-of-canadian-govt-agencies/291729 "2005-02-24T17:16:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imprecise-names-of-canadian-govt-agencies/291729/21 "2005-02-25T17:09:46Z")

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The Pentagon is often used as a shorthand way to say the Department of Defense or even “the military.” This is a textbook example of metonymy.

> [@](#):
>
> A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated, as in the use of Washington for the United States government or of the sword for military power.

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**Author:** ![wolfstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imprecise-names-of-canadian-govt-agencies/291729/22 "2005-02-25T17:14:56Z")

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> [@acsenray](#):
>
> I see the “Pentagon” backdrop as more an indicator of the location of the press conference rather than as an adoption of “Pentagon” as an official synonym for “the U.S. Department of Defense.”

This may very well be what’s going on. If it is, clicking on the [two](http://www.september11news.com/Aug20_RumsfeldGenPacePentagonBriefing.jpg) [links](http://cspan-133.c-spanarchives.org:8080/cspan/Pictures/Programs/171393/171393-w.jpg) I compared above should show why I was confused.

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**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imprecise-names-of-canadian-govt-agencies/291729/23 "2005-02-25T18:02:22Z")

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The Rumsfeld pic is interesting – the backdrop says “Pentagon: Washington, D.C.,” but the Pentagon is not in Washington. It’s in Arlington, Va.

Also note that on the front of the lectern is the seal of the U.S. Department of Defense.

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