{"id":6935,"date":"2024-04-24T06:00:59","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T11:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/?p=6935"},"modified":"2024-04-23T14:05:09","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T19:05:09","slug":"sibilance-definition-and-examples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/definitions\/sibilance-definition-and-examples\/","title":{"rendered":"Sibilance: Definition and Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"

The art of language embraces sound just as it does precision and eloquence of written expression.<\/p>\n

For example, along the way we’ve discussed alliteration<\/a>, which is the repetition of two or more neighboring sounds of words, often initial letters, to create a phonetic device:<\/p>\n

s<\/u>imple s<\/u>tory<\/em><\/p>\n

acc<\/u>ept and exc<\/u>el<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The repeating alliterative sounds occur either in the first letter of each word or in the\u00a0stressed\u00a0syllables of those words.<\/p>\n

With our examples above, we also have a specific type of sound referred to as sibilance.<\/p>\n

What Is Sibilance?<\/h2>\n

Sibilance is the recurrence of a hissing, hushing, or whispering sound in words. While it is often associated with the letter s<\/em>, sibilance involves s<\/em>-type sounds, not the letter itself.<\/p>\n

Sibilance <\/em>originates from the Latin sibilare<\/em> (“to hiss, “to whistle”). You’ll also notice the word sibilance <\/em>is sibilant itself: s<\/u>ibilance<\/u><\/em>.<\/p>\n

The following table shows common letters that form sibilance as well as examples of words applying its sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Letter(s)<\/strong><\/td>\nSibilant Sound<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\nLetter(s)<\/strong><\/td>\nSibilant Sound<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
cc<\/td>\nacc<\/u>ept, succ<\/u>ess<\/td>\n<\/td>\nsh<\/td>\nsh<\/u>ed, sh<\/u>ell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
cei<\/td>\nrecei<\/u>ve, recei<\/u>pt<\/td>\n<\/td>\nss<\/td>\nbliss<\/u>, miss<\/u><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ce, ci<\/td>\nce<\/u>ase, Ci<\/u>nderella<\/td>\n<\/td>\nxc<\/td>\nexc<\/u>el, exc<\/u>ept<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
s<\/td>\ns<\/u>imple, lis<\/u>t<\/td>\n<\/td>\nz<\/td>\nz<\/u>oo, z<\/u>ipper<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Consider how sibilance establishes the sonic qualities of well-known interjections<\/a> such as shh<\/em> and psst<\/em>. The sounds themselves convey hushing or whispering thoughts.<\/p>\n

When we think of sibilance, we also think of the sss<\/em> of a s<\/u>lithering s<\/u>nake with a s<\/u>lippery forked tongue.<\/p>\n

While not a part of our current discussion, other soft or buzzing sounds such as ch<\/em> (choo-choo), f<\/em> (fog), hard th<\/em> (that), and v<\/em> (victory) might be classified as sibilant by some linguists as well.<\/p>\n

As we’ve alluded to, sibilance is alliterative when it appears in the first letters of consecutive words: s<\/u>imple s<\/u>tory.<\/em> However, sibilance doesn’t require a particular order or positioning in a sentence. It can appear anywhere in a word.<\/p>\n

Examples<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

S<\/u>arah s<\/u>aid sh<\/u>e wish<\/u>es<\/u> sh<\/u>e could live in S<\/u>an Francis<\/u>co.<\/p>\n

the recei<\/u>pt for the pres<\/u>cripti<\/u>on (ti<\/em> forms a sibilant sound)<\/p>\n

Are they c<\/u>ertain we’ll have acc<\/u>ess<\/u> to the S<\/u>is<\/u>tine Chapel?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Sibilance in Writing<\/h2>\n

When used with skill and proper restraint, sibilance can add style and even melody to our writing through words that create sounds inside of our minds just as they do for our ears when spoken.<\/p>\n

Qualities of sibilance in writing include:<\/p>\n

voice.<\/strong> Sibilance might be applied to establish persona according to how a character speaks. For example, how would you begin to evaluate a character who often communicates in the following way?<\/p>\n

Say, I sure would like a sip of that soda. Save me some?<\/em><\/p>\n

I understand your stance, but certain sections of your thinking are suspect.<\/em><\/p>\n

A commonly quoted passage from Shakespeare’s Hamlet<\/em> provides another example of memorable sibilance in a character’s speech. In the scene, Bernardo invites Francisco to hear his story about the ghost of King Hamlet.<\/p>\n

S<\/u><\/em>it down a while<\/em><\/p>\n

And let us<\/u> once<\/u> again ass<\/u>ail your ears<\/u>,<\/em><\/p>\n

That are s<\/u>o fortified agains<\/u>t our s<\/u>tory,<\/em><\/p>\n

What we have two nights<\/u> s<\/u>een.<\/em><\/p>\n

emphasis.<\/strong> When we want certain words to stand out, we can make them sibilant to lend them weight they might not otherwise have. Which description would be more distinctive to you: a flavorful steak<\/em> or a savory steak<\/em>?<\/p>\n

mood and atmosphere.<\/strong> Sibilant writing can infuse a scene or a sentence with additional mystery, mood, intrigue, or suspense. Note how it can influence a feeling or setting:<\/p>\n

The wind whis<\/u>pering through the s<\/u>unsh<\/u>ine s<\/u>tirred the otherwis<\/u>e tranquil Bald C<\/u>ypress<\/u>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Alec asc<\/u>ended the s<\/u>taircas<\/u>e, s<\/u>nuck around the corner, and sh<\/u>ifted into the sh<\/u>adows<\/u>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The iron s<\/u>tayed in the furnace<\/u> until red and s<\/u>moking hot. <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The passage from Hamlet above is likewise an instance of sibilance creating a mood.<\/p>\n

Related Topic<\/h3>\n

Assonance: Definition and Examples<\/a>
\nConsonance: Definition and Examples<\/a>
\nWriting with Rhythm and Sound<\/a><\/p>\n

Pop Quiz<\/h2>\n

Identify any instances of sibilance (excluding ch<\/em>, f<\/em>, hard th<\/em>, and v<\/em>).<\/p>\n

1. Sally’s favorite song by the Beatles is “She Said She Said.”<\/p>\n

2. Should we share the last of the pistachios?<\/p>\n

3. Chun-hee wishes you well on your voyage.<\/p>\n

4. Wilhelm took the train to Times Square.<\/p>\n

5. I missed the eclipse while I was filling the salt shakers?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pop Quiz Answers<\/h3>\n

1. S<\/strong>ally’s<\/strong> favorite s<\/strong>ong by the Beatles<\/strong> is<\/strong> “Sh<\/strong>e S<\/strong>aid Sh<\/strong>e S<\/strong>aid.”<\/p>\n

2. Sh<\/strong>ould we sh<\/strong>are the las<\/strong>t of the pis<\/strong>tachios<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

3. Chun-hee wish<\/strong>es<\/strong> you well on your voyage.<\/p>\n

4. Wilhelm took the train to Times<\/strong> S<\/strong>quare.<\/p>\n

5. I miss<\/strong>ed the eclips<\/strong>e while I was<\/strong> filling the s<\/strong>alt sh<\/strong>akers<\/strong>?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The art of language embraces sound just as it does precision and eloquence of written expression. For example, along the way we’ve discussed alliteration, which is the repetition of two or more neighboring sounds of words, often initial letters, to create a phonetic device: simple story accept and excel The repeating alliterative sounds occur either […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,12,49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-definitions","category-effective-writing","category-pronunciation"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6935"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6935"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6935\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6943,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6935\/revisions\/6943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}