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April 22, 2009 Twit Word of the Week Share Word of the Week on Facebook Digg:! stumble Word of the Week Bookmark Word of the Week on Delicious submit Word of the Week to reddit Bookmark Word of the Week
Word of the Week--"Alliteration"
Definition--Alliteration- n. A phrase composed of a series of words that begin with the same sound, as in Sue saw Sally surfing.

Discussion--Alliteration is a device often used in poetry to add to the fluidity of a written line. Something in the human ear is pleased by the pattern of recurring sounds, much as the human ear is pleased by rhyme.

Arriving at adequate alliteration always ails aspiring authors. It is not an easy thing to do, but when it is pulled off successfully, it really adds flare to your writing.

A writer famed for his play with words was Lewis Carroll, author of Alice in Wonderland. Mr. Carroll enjoyed using alliteration in his writing, along with rhyme schemes and clever puns. For your reading enjoyment you really should check out Jabberwocky, Carroll's poem of nonsense.



Etymology--Alliteration- borrowed from New Latin alliterationem, from Latin al-, to, + -litera, letter.

Note the similarities in the foreign translations. All of the translations show striking similarities.


   Foreign Translations
Dutch:  alliteratie (de)
French:  allitération (f)
German:  Alliteration (f)
Italian:  allitterazione
Spanish:  aliteración

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