![]() ![]() Now that we've covered some of the tools used to create euphony, let's revisit the Shakespearean sonnet from above. It can be used to create various effects, but often creates a mild, soft effect that is soothing to the ear. Sibilance: Sibilance is the repetition of hissing sounds.The repetition of words (as in the Shakespeare example above) creates a pleasing sound when used in moderation. Repetition: Repetition is a literary device in which a word or phrase is repeated two or more times.Alliteration: Alliteration is a figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the “b” sound in “ Bob brought the box of bricks to the basement.” The repeating sound must occur either in the first letter of each word, or in the stressed syllables of those words.An example of consonance is: "Tra ffic figures, on July Fourth, to be tou gh." Consonance: Consonance is a figure of speech in which the same consonant sound repeats within a group of words.An example of assonance is: "Wh o gave N ewt and Sc ooter the bl ue t una? It was t oo s oon!" Assonance: Assonance is a figure of speech in which the same vowel sound repeats within a group of words.Figures of speech: There are many figures of speech in English, and not all help create euphony, but here are some of the ones that do.Language that has a steady, regular rhythm is more likely to be euphonic than language with a fast, irregular, jarring rhythm. Rhythm: Rhythm is the term we use to describe how words flow-quickly or slowly, regularly or irregularly-according to the interrelation of long and short or stressed and unstressed syllables.Rhymes are widely used in poetry, songwriting, and prose because they're pleasant to the ear, making them the perfect euphonic tool. Rhyme: A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words.In addition to knowing what letters to look for in words, it's important to have a sense of the other tools that writers use to make their words euphonic. These consonants are referred to as "explosive consonants," and while they can't be avoided entirely, too many of them can make a sentence begin to sound cacophonous-the opposite of euphonic. However, these consonants don't have to appear right next to each other, and euphonic phrases often contain some harsher or more percussive consonants (like T, P, and K) as well. So a word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, or poem is typically considered euphonic when it contains a lot of these consonants in relatively close succession. Consonants with hissing sounds, like F, H, S, and Sh.Consonants with buzzing sounds, like V, Z, and hard Th sounds (as in "The").Consonants with muted or muffled sounds, like L, M, N, R, and W.Generally speaking, those letters include: So it's useful, when you're trying to identify euphony, to know what types of letters are used most often to make euphonic sounds. Here's how to pronounce euphony: Yoo-fuh-nee Euphony ExplainedĮuphony has to do with the way words sound, and it's easy to identify if you trust your own ear, and ask yourself: do the words sound pleasing together? On the other hand, "pleasing" is a subjective criterion: some combinations of words might sound pleasing to one person's ear, and not particularly pleasing to another's. The opposite of euphony is cacophony, or the combination of words that sound harsh or unpleasant together.Euphony is one of the words that is used most often to speak about the musicality of language-how it sounds when it's spoken aloud.The word euphony is itself slightly euphonic because of its soft sounds.The word euphony comes from the Greek word meaning "good sound.".Some additional key details about euphony: Other factors, like rhyme and rhythm, can also be used to create euphony. An example of euphony is the end of Shakespeare's famous "Sonnet 18," which goes "So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, / So long lives this, and this gives life to thee." What is euphony? Here’s a quick and simple definition:Įuphony is the combining of words that sound pleasant together or are easy to pronounce, usually because they contain lots of consonants with soft or muffled sounds (like L, M, N, and R) instead of consonants with harsh, percussive sounds (like T, P, and K).
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