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Difficulty: EasySound Devices and Euphony

Read the following line of poetry:

"Softly sighing, the silken sails sway in the summer breeze."

Which sound device is predominantly used in this line?

  1. AlliterationAnswer
  2. B
    Assonance
  3. C
    Onomatopoeia
  4. D
    Oxymoron

Answer

The correct sound device is Alliteration.
The poetic line repeatedly uses the initial consonant sound /s/ in words like 'Softly', 'sighing', 'silken', 'sails', 'sway', and 'summer'. The repetition of initial consonant sounds across close words is defined as alliteration.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sound pattern repeated at the beginning of the words in the excerpt.
The consonant sound /s/ repeats at the start of 'Softly', 'sighing', 'silken', 'sails', 'sway', and 'summer'.
Identifying the nature and position of repeated sounds is essential for classifying sound devices.
2
Match the observed sound pattern to literary device definitions.
Repetition of initial consonant sounds in close succession corresponds strictly to alliteration.
Distinguishing between initial consonant repetition and internal vowel repetition determines the correct literary classification.

Key Concept

Alliteration
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Topics

Sound Devices and Euphony

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