Sibilance: Etymology, Literal and Conceptual Meanings
The term “sibilance” derives from the Latin word “sibilus,” meaning “hissing” or “whistling.” This etymological origin directly reflects the literal sound associated with sibilance: a repetition of ‘s’ or similar sounds, creating a whispering or hissing effect. This literal sound, however, carries conceptual meanings beyond mere auditory sensation. The whispering quality of sibilance can evoke a sense of secrecy or conspiracy, while the hissing can imply danger or malice. Alternatively, the soft and repetitive sounds can create a soothing or calming atmosphere, depending on the context.
| Literal Meaning | Conceptual Meanings |
| Repetition of “s” or similar sounds creating a hissing or whispering effect | Secrecy, conspiracy, danger, malice, soothing, calming |
Sibilance: Definition as a Literary Device
Sibilance, as a literary device, denotes the deliberate repetition of sibilant sounds (such as /s/, /ʃ/, /z/, /ʒ/) within a phrase or sentence. This sonic technique serves to create aural texture and rhythmic patterns within a text, often evoking specific moods or emphasizing particular words or concepts. While primarily associated with poetry, sibilance can also be utilized in prose to heighten sensory details and enhance stylistic effects.
Sibilance: Types and Examples
| Type of Sibilance | Explanation | Examples |
| Alliterative Sibilance | Repetition of sibilant sounds at the beginning of words or stressed syllables in close proximity. | “Sing a song of sixpence,” “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers” |
| Internal Sibilance | Sibilant sounds occurring within words, not necessarily at the beginning. | “The hissing snake slithered silently,” “The luscious cake was simply irresistible” |
| Assonant Sibilance | Repetition of vowel sounds that create a sibilant effect, often in combination with ‘s’ or other sibilant consonants. | “The sea ceaseth and sufficeth us,” “The breeze whispers secrets in the leaves” |
| Combined Sibilance | A combination of alliterative and internal sibilance within a phrase or sentence. | “The soft, sad music of the sea shells,” “The silken sails shimmered in the sunlight” |
Note: Some linguists may include other soft sounds like ‘f’, ‘ch’, or ‘th’ as sibilant, but the above table focuses on the most common and recognizable forms of sibilance.
Sibilance: Examples in Everyday Life
| Example | Explanation |
| “She sells seashells by the seashore.” | Repetition of the /s/ and /ʃ/ (sh) sounds create a strong sibilant effect. |
| “The snake slithered silently through the grass.” | The /s/ sound is repeated multiple times, emphasizing the snake’s stealthy movement. |
| “The breeze whispered secrets through the leaves.” | The /s/ and /z/ sounds mimic the soft, hushed tones of the breeze. |
| “The steam hissed as it escaped the kettle.” | The /s/ sound replicates the sound of steam escaping. |
| “The zipper zipped smoothly up the jacket.” | The /z/ sound emphasizes the action and sound of the zipper closing. |
| “The singer’s voice soared with a sweet, silvery tone.” | The repeated /s/ sound creates a sense of musicality and adds to the imagery of a “silvery” voice. |
| “The soft, subtle scent of cinnamon filled the air.” | The /s/ sound in “soft,” “subtle,” “scent,” and “cinnamon” adds to the sensory experience of the description. |
| “The slippery slope was treacherous to climb.” | The /s/ sound in “slippery” and “slope” enhances the feeling of danger and instability. |
| “The sun set, casting long shadows across the sand.” | The /s/ sound in “sun,” “set,” “shadows,” and “sand” creates a sense of peace and tranquility. |
| “The silence was broken only by the soft sizzle of the campfire.” | The /s/ sound in “silence,” “soft,” and “sizzle” emphasizes the contrast between the quietness and the subtle sound of the fire. |
Sibilance in Literature: Shakespearean Examples
| Example | Play | Explanation |
| “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes…” | Romeo and Juliet (Prologue) | The repeated /f/ and /s/ sounds emphasize the fated and tragic nature of the conflict between the two families. |
| “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble.” | Macbeth (Act 4, Scene 1) | The repeated /b/ sound combined with the /l/ in “bubble” creates a rhythmic, chant-like effect that reinforces the witches’ incantations. |
| “So foul and fair a day I have not seen.” | Macbeth (Act 1, Scene 3) | The /f/ sound in “foul,” “fair,” and “seen” contributes to the sense of paradox and ambiguity in Macbeth’s words. |
| “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness…” | Ode to Autumn | The /s/ sound in “season,” “mists,” and “fruitfulness” creates a soft, flowing rhythm that evokes the gentle beauty of autumn. |
| “With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.” | Hamlet (Act 3, Scene 1) | The /s/ sound in “currents,” “turn,” and “lose” contributes to the sense of confusion and inaction that Hamlet is expressing. |
Sibilance in Literature: Examples
| Poem | Poet | Example | Explanation |
| “The Raven“ | Edgar Allan Poe | “And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain…” | Repetition of /s/ creates a hushed, melancholic tone, mimicking the sound of rustling curtains and whispering secrets. |
| “Ode to a Nightingale“ | John Keats | “Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!” | The sibilant /s/ and /th/ sounds contribute to the poem’s ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere. |
| “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock“ | T.S. Eliot | “The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes…” | The /s/ sound in “fog,” “rubs,” and “window-panes” adds to the sense of unease and creeping desolation. |
| “The Second Coming” | William Butler Yeats | “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold…” | The /s/ and /th/ sounds create a sense of impending doom and chaos. |
| “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening“ | Robert Frost | “The only other sound’s the sweep / Of easy wind and downy flake.” | The /s/ sound in “sound’s,” “sweep,” and “easy” creates a soft, tranquil atmosphere. |
| “Ozymandias“ | Percy Bysshe Shelley | “Round the decay / Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare…” | The /s/ sounds in “colossal,” “wreck,” and “boundless” emphasize the vastness and desolation of the scene. |
| “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner“ | Samuel Taylor Coleridge | “The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew…” | The /f/ and /w/ sounds create a sense of movement and energy as the ship sails through the water. |
| “La Belle Dame sans Merci“ | John Keats | “And her eyes were wild…” | The /w/ sound in “wild” adds to the sense of mystery and otherworldliness surrounding the woman. |
| “Kubla Khan” | Samuel Taylor Coleridge | “A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!” | The /s/ sound in “sunny” and “pleasure-dome” contrasts with the /k/ sound in “caves” and “ice,” creating a sense of wonder and contrast. |
| “To Autumn” | John Keats | “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness…” | The /s/ and /m/ sounds create a soft, gentle rhythm that reflects the tranquility of autumn. |
Sibilance in Literature: Relevance in Literary Theories
1. Formalism:
- Focuses on the sound and structure of the language itself. Sibilance is seen as a device that enhances the musicality and aural texture of a text, creating a specific rhythm and sonic pattern.
- Example 1: In Coleridge’s “Kubla Khan,” the sibilance in “Five miles meandering with a mazy motion” creates a sense of hypnotic movement.
- Example 2: In Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 30,” the sibilance in “When to the sessions of sweet silent thought I summon up remembrance of things past” adds to the melancholic tone.
2. Structuralism:
- Examines the underlying systems of language and how they create meaning. Sibilance can be seen as a recurring sound pattern that reinforces certain themes or motifs within a text.
- Example 1: In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” the repeated sibilance in “surcease of sorrow” and “nevermore” emphasizes the poem’s themes of loss and despair.
- Example 2: In John Keats’s “Ode to a Nightingale,” the sibilance in “soft incense” and “sensual ear” contributes to the poem’s exploration of the senses.
- Focuses on the individual reader’s interpretation and emotional response to a text. Sibilance can evoke different feelings in different readers, depending on their personal experiences and associations.
- Example 1: The sibilance in the phrase “slithering snake” might create a sense of fear or disgust in one reader, while another might find it fascinating.
- Example 2: The sibilance in “whispering wind” could evoke feelings of peace and tranquility in one reader, while another might feel a sense of unease or foreboding.
- Explores the unconscious desires and anxieties of the author and characters. Sibilance can be seen as a manifestation of these hidden emotions, often linked to themes of sexuality or aggression.
- Example 1: In Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” the sibilance in Claudius’s lines, “O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven,” might be interpreted as a subconscious expression of guilt and shame.
- Example 2: In Sylvia Plath’s “Lady Lazarus,” the sibilance in “Herr God, Herr Lucifer / Beware / Beware” could be seen as a manifestation of the speaker’s rage and defiance.
Sibilance in Literature: Relevant Terms
| Term | Definition |
| Alliteration | The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words or syllables. |
| Assonance | The repetition of vowel sounds in neighboring words or syllables. |
| Consonance | The repetition of consonant sounds in neighboring words or syllables, especially at the end of words. |
| Euphony | The quality of being pleasing to the ear, especially through a harmonious combination of words. |
| Onomatopoeia | The formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named (e.g., “cuckoo,” “sizzle”). |
| Phoneme | The smallest unit of sound that distinguishes one word from another in a language. |
| Rhyme | Correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words, especially when these are used at the ends of lines of poetry. |
| Rhythm | A strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound. |
| Sound Symbolism | The association of certain sounds with particular meanings or feelings (e.g., “sl-” often suggests something smooth or slippery). |
Sibilance in Literature: Suggested Readings
Books:
- Childs, Peter, ed. The Routledge Companion to Experimental Literature. Routledge, 2014.
- Fabb, Nigel. Linguistics and Literature. Blackwell, 1997.
- Leech, Geoffrey N. A Linguistic Guide to English Poetry. Longman, 1969.
Web Links:
- Academy of American Poets. “Sound Devices.” [invalid URL removed]
- LiteraryDevices.net. “Sibilance.” https://literarydevices.net/sibilance/
- The Poetry Foundation. “Glossary of Poetic Terms.” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms