Figure of Speech
1. Alliteration
The repetition of an initial consonant sound. is a term that describes a literary stylistic device. Alliteration occurs when a series of words in a row (or close to a row) have the same first consonant sound. For example, “She sells sea-shells down by the sea-short” or “Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers” are both alliterative phrases. In the former, all the words start with the “s” sound, while in the later, the “p’s” take precedence. Aside from tongue twisters, alliteration is also used in poems, song lyrics, and even store or brand names. The following examples of alliteration should make things a bit more clear. * American Airlines * Chuckee Cheese’s * Bed Bath & Beyond * Krispy Kreme * The Scotch and Sirloin * Xavier’s x-rayed his xylophone. * Yarvis yanked you at yoga, and Yvonne yelled * Zachary zeroed in on zoo keeping. * Ronald Reagan * Sammy Sosa * Jesse Jackson * Michael Moore
In each of these examples, the alliteration occurs in the words that have the same sound. As you can see, not every word must be alliterative. You can use prepositions, such as of and pronouns such as his and still maintain the alliterative effect. Alliteration does not need to be an entire sentence. Any two word phrase can be alliterative. 2. Anaphora
The repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or verses. (Contrast with epiphora and epistrophe.)
"I needed a drink, I needed a lot of life insurance, I needed a vacation, I needed a home in the country. What I had was a coat, a hat and a gun." 3. Antithesis
The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases.
"The more acute the experience, the less articulate its expression." 4. Apostrophe
Breaking off discourse to address some absent person or thing, some abstract quality, an inanimate object, or a nonexistent character.
"Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone
Without a dream in my heart
The repetition of an initial consonant sound. is a term that describes a literary stylistic device. Alliteration occurs when a series of words in a row (or close to a row) have the same first consonant sound. For example, “She sells sea-shells down by the sea-short” or “Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers” are both alliterative phrases. In the former, all the words start with the “s” sound, while in the later, the “p’s” take precedence. Aside from tongue twisters, alliteration is also used in poems, song lyrics, and even store or brand names. The following examples of alliteration should make things a bit more clear. * American Airlines * Chuckee Cheese’s * Bed Bath & Beyond * Krispy Kreme * The Scotch and Sirloin * Xavier’s x-rayed his xylophone. * Yarvis yanked you at yoga, and Yvonne yelled * Zachary zeroed in on zoo keeping. * Ronald Reagan * Sammy Sosa * Jesse Jackson * Michael Moore
In each of these examples, the alliteration occurs in the words that have the same sound. As you can see, not every word must be alliterative. You can use prepositions, such as of and pronouns such as his and still maintain the alliterative effect. Alliteration does not need to be an entire sentence. Any two word phrase can be alliterative. 2. Anaphora
The repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or verses. (Contrast with epiphora and epistrophe.)
"I needed a drink, I needed a lot of life insurance, I needed a vacation, I needed a home in the country. What I had was a coat, a hat and a gun." 3. Antithesis
The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases.
"The more acute the experience, the less articulate its expression." 4. Apostrophe
Breaking off discourse to address some absent person or thing, some abstract quality, an inanimate object, or a nonexistent character.
"Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone
Without a dream in my heart