What literary device might be considered the opposite of alliteration?

The choice of assonance as the opposite of alliteration highlights an important distinction in the study of sound devices in poetry and prose. Alliteration is the repetition of the initial consonant sounds in a series of words, creating a rhythmic effect. In contrast, assonance involves the repetition of vowel sounds within or between words. This means that while alliteration focuses on consonantal sounds at the beginning of words, assonance centers on the internal vowel sounds, thus serving as a form of sound repetition that contrasts with alliteration.

For example, in a phrase like "the cat sat on the mat," the repeated "c" sound is alliteration. On the other hand, in a phrase like "the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain," the repeated "ai" sound represents assonance. This clear distinction demonstrates how these literary devices operate differently in creating auditory textures in language.

Other choices do not fulfill the role of an opposite to alliteration in the same way. Consonance involves the repetition of consonant sounds, but not exclusively at the beginning of words, which makes it similar rather than opposite. Rhyme refers to the correspondence of sounds at the end of words, which does not serve as an antith