ABSTRACT
This chapter covers four rhetorical devices used to add sound or an aural character to writing: alliteration, onomatopoeia, assonance, and consonance. Alliteration is the repetition of the same sound at the beginning of words or phrases, as in doubtful dreamer. An onomatopoeia is a word intended to sound like what it describes, such as bang or growl. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in several words, as in “slowly the whole object toppled over.” Consonance is the repetition of consonants at or near the end of stressed syllables, as in “put the mitt in with the bat.” Style Check 14 discusses texture and tone in writing style and how for effective writing the senses should be involved. Define Your Terms asks students to define each of the rhetorical devices discussed in the chapter and to provide their own examples of each one. It’s in the Cloud asks students to research the British writer George Orwell, analyzing and commenting on his writing about the relationship between language, politics, and rhetoric. Salt and Pepper 14 describes the use of different types of words based on their sound (soft or harsh). The chapter ends with a Review Questions quiz and Questions for Thought and Discussion, asking students to think about some of the ideas discussed in the chapter.
