Alliteration is a literary device that involves the repetition of initial consonant sounds of nearby words in a phrase. It is often used to create rhythm and emphasis in poetry, speeches, and other forms of writing. Alliteration can also be used in names, as evidenced by the unbroken series of 9th century kings of Wessex named Æthelwulf, Æthelbald, Æthelberht, and Æthelred. Some literary experts accept as alliteration the repetition of vowel sounds, or repetition at any point in a word. The purpose of alliteration is to provide an audible pulse that gives a piece of writing a certain flow or musicality. Here are some examples of alliteration:
- "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers"
- "wild and woolly"
- "Taco Tuesday"
Alliteration is not limited to consecutive words, but rather refers to words that are in close proximity to each other.
