Although this book isn’t about writing poetry or song lyrics, you should still be sensitive to the way language sounds and know something about the literary devices at your disposal to produce sound effects:
- Alliteration is the repetition of the same first consonant sound in adjacent or nearby words:
Snakes slithered softly through the grass. - Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words:
We heard the sound of pounding from the apartment down the hall. - Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in nearby words, not necessarily at the beginning of each word:
Jack mumbled dumbly. - Onomatopoeia is the formation of a word that sounds like what it means; for example, boom, pop, growl, and buzz.
- Rhythm is any recognizable pattern of sound that helps the text flow smoothly. Sentence length and variety, word choice, and punctuation all contribute to the rhythm of a sentence. The following example contains a long sentence followed by a very short one, producing an abrupt shift in rhythm:
The show presented a magnificent array of music, dance, acrobatics, drama, and humor, all carefully choreographed and meticulously performed to engage and entertain. Unfortunately, the audience was not impressed.
Tune In to the Sounds of Language