"Sibilance" Pronounce,Meaning And Examples

"Sibilance" Meaning

Sibilance is a figure of speech that involves the repetition of the "s" or "sh" sound in words in close proximity to each other, often used to create a musical or rhythmic effect in language. It is a literary device used to emphasize a particular sound, mood, or atmosphere, often creating a sense of smoothness, fluidity, or even eeriness.

"Sibilance" Examples

Sibilance is a literary device that uses repeated "s" or "sh" sounds to create a distinct, musical effect. Here are 5 usage examples:

Example 1: From The Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

> The sullen winds were whispering low,
> The sable clouds, that far above did frown,
> Were writhing, writhing — writhing still and slow
>
> — The poem uses repetitive "s" sounds to create a sense of eerie atmosphere.

Example 2: From The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot

> These fragments I have shored against my ruins
> Why should I parade my rueful breast?

— The repetition of the "s" and "sh" sounds creates a sense of disjointedness and disillusionment.

Example 3: From The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

> The style of conversation was so refined, so sibylline

— The use of "sibilance" creates a sense of high-brow culture and sophistication.

Example 4: From The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

> Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore!"
> The silence, which lies upon it like the shadow of a pacific moon

— The repetition of the "s" and "sh" sounds creates a sense of eerie mysticism and otherworldliness.

Example 5: From The Silken Tunic by Edgar Lee Masters

> I was held in suspension between two polls
>
> 'Tis a sullen stream below
>
> The trees in folders swing and sway
>
> — The repetition of the "s" sounds creates a sense of melancholy and nostalgia.