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In Norse poetry, to the fastidious skald, a word like take is not considered to alliterate with train, but a word like track does alliterate with a word like troop, and tear does alliterate with tin.

However, such words considered non alliterative are still clearly related, though not identical, in their initial consonant sounds.

My question is if there is a name for this kind of thing; of following up "pretty" with "picture", as opposed to "pretty" with "prank".

Loose alliteration? Nigh alliteration? False alliteration? as opposed to strict, full, or true alliteration (or simply: alliteration).

Cultures, individuals, and artistic movements have their own differing standards. Some would say that pr an p do alliterate, but even then, it is clearly a slightly different kind of alliteration compared to p and p. I want to know if there are names for these two kinds of alliteration, and what they are.

Ludvig Boysen
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    In Old English poetry, gold was considered to alliterate with glitter. For example, Beowulf starts Hwæt. We Gardena in geardagum, // þeodcyninga, þrym* gefrunon.*

    So these are two different kinds of alliteration (i.e., you shouldn't call the alliteration in Beowulf false alliteration). I don't know if there are names for them.

     – Peter Shor Jan 07 '24 at 12:53
  • And the -g- sound can be hard (velar) or soft (palatal): *glidon ofer garsecg geofon yþum* – TimR Jan 07 '24 at 19:01
  • Or *Gardena geardagum* – TimR Jan 07 '24 at 20:34
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    If this is specifically about terminology in Norse poetry, you're asking in the wrong place. – Stuart F Jan 07 '24 at 23:29
  • In advertisind we'd say ... clever copywriters always alliterate. – Fattie Jan 08 '24 at 14:00
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    Your question title appears to contain an incorrect assumption, and hence is a bit confusing. – Fattie Jan 08 '24 at 14:09

2 Answers2

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"Alliteration" is a broad term, not a specific one. It covers both systems described in the question.

To refer generally to alliteration that matches the entire syllable onset, I would suggest using a descriptive phrase like "full onset cluster alliteration" (which could be contrasted to "initial consonant alliteration").

The specific rules about what counts as valid and invalid alliteration depend on what tradition the poet is working in, as you note, so it isn't clear to use the wording "strict, full, or true alliteration (or simply: alliteration)" to refer to the system you describe in the first paragraph.* It would be clearest to specify what tradition you mean. I'm curious what tradition of Norse poetry has this rule, since I see examples of Norse poems that appear not to follow it:

From the Karlevi runestone in Oland, c. 1000 AD

Folginn liggr hinns fylgðu
flestr vissi þat mestar
daeðir dolga Þruðar
draugr í þeimsi haugi [...]

(http://viking.archeurope.info/index.php?page=drottkvatt-noble-warrior-s-metre)

From Haraldskvaeði

Hlaðnir oru holða
ok hvitra skjalda
vigra vestroenna
ok valskra sverða;
grenjuðu berserkir,
guðr var þeim á sinnum [...]

(http://viking.archeurope.info/index.php?page=malahattr-or-metre-of-speeches)

The clusters st-, sp- and sc- show special behavior in Old English verse, and I would guess also in Norse. I wrote more about alliteration in my answer here: Can English have words that are both alliterations and also rhyme?

*However, interestingly, I see another poster on the writing Stack Exchange shared your impression that alliteration on the same consonant using different onset clusters is "not a pure alliteration" (user5645's answer to Mixing dissonance and alliteration?, describing "Sweetly, slimily, and softly")

herisson
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  • Is there some reason you emboldened the onsets of just some of the alliterations, not all of them? There are nearly always three per caesura-separated pair of two-beat halves. Unless you have some other purpose here such as only illustrating matches with and without a following liquid, it it were me I would also so mark the missing fylgðu and dolga on the runetone verse, as well as holda and the three v- words from the other verse. – tchrist Jan 07 '24 at 17:58
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    @tchrist: I just did the first ones that showed the non-matching onsets. It seemed simplest and I wasn't sure about the specific rules applying to all alliterations in the poems – herisson Jan 07 '24 at 18:14
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    Original poster here. I got the idea that alliteration with the same consonant but different onset clusters was looked down on in Norse poetry from the foreword to my copy of the poetic edda (in Swedish), written by the translator.

    Because you have shown examples to the contrary, I have changed my mind on this, and I will be on the lookout for such alliteration in any future Norse poetry that I read.

     – Ludvig Boysen Jan 08 '24 at 00:01
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    “The clusters st-, sp- and sc- show special behavior in Old English verse, and I would guess also in Norse.” — I can confirm this. The limitation referred to in the question only applied to clusters beginning in s-, in particular these three, but also usually sm- and occasionally others. Egill Skalla-Grímsson (there is no more authoritative skald) starts his Sonatorrek with the following lines: Mjǫk erum tregt / tungu at hrœra. – Segorian Jan 08 '24 at 12:13
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If you are asking about English,

gold -> glitter
crown -> king
pretty -> picture

That is called "alliteration."

Is there a name for this?

"Alliteration."

You can glance at the Oxford English Dictionary definition,

the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words: the alliteration of “sweet birds sang”

Alliteration is used very widely in English, one of a million examples in movie titles "Pretty in Pink".

(Your question title appears to contain an incorrect assumption, and hence is a bit confusing.)

Fattie
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