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Echoic simile

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A simile that relies on sonic repetition or echo-like resemblance between compared elements, enhancing both imagery and musicality.

Detailed Definition
Echoic simile is a comparative figure that not only likens two things but also mimics the sound of the thing being described through its phrasing—such as “like the whisper of dry leaves” where the sibilance enacts the whisper—thus creating a dual sensory effect where meaning and sound reinforce each other; this device heightens immersion by engaging both cognitive and auditory imagination simultaneously.
Example
Example in poetry:
Echoic simile: "Her voice trailed off like a fading radio signal"; "He moved like footsteps on wet sand—soft, then gone"; "Laughter bubbled like a brook over smooth stones"; "Silence spread like ink in still water"
Additional Notes
Echoic simile compares two things through sound resemblance (e.g., “quiet as a whispering leaf”); merges auditory and figurative language—distinct from onomatopoeia by using comparison structure.
Also Known As
Echoing comparison Reverberant simile Sound-based likeness Acoustic metaphor
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