Alliteration

Techniques > General persuasion > Using repetition > Alliteration

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Use a sequence of words in which the initial letter is the same.

The words can be next to one another or spaced out.

Combining alliteration as a triple can be very effective.

Example

Health, happiness and hope for the New Year!

I want this, wish for this and wonder if it can be done.

Good grief! That's not the number. Run and recover the real one!

Bye-bye baby, baby bye-bye.

Discussion

Alliteration acts as a simple hammer, beating home the point. Although it may be used at the speed of the jackhammer, it is more subtle.

The effect of alliteration can be almost poetic, making it pleasant and comfortable on the ears.

Note that some letters have softer sounds (eg. H) and some have more percussive sounds (eg. B). These will have correspondingly softer and harder effects.

Alliteration is also called Homoeoprophoron.

Classification: Repetition.