Sibilance
A specific type of alliteration in which sibilant consonants (s, z, sh, ch, j sounds) are repeated, creating a whispering, hissing, or soothing effect depending on context and surrounding sounds.
Real World
In Shakespeare's 'Macbeth', the witches' chant 'Stay, you secret, black, and midnight hags' layers sibilant 's' sounds that evoke whispering and secrecy, reinforcing their sinister supernatural role on stage.
Exam Focus
Always connect sibilance to the specific mood it creates in context — hissing can be menacing or soothing depending on subject.
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