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Unread 10-08-2001, 11:08 AM
Alan Sullivan Alan Sullivan is offline
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That's weird. I just tried it and got the same result. I'll email Paul and ask him what gives.

Alliteration patterns occur within the individual lines.

Your Norwegian quote appears to be a line followed by a half-line. Lacking a context, I cannot say what's going on with it, but alliterating all stresses certainly produces a giddy effect in English.

Of the 3182 lines in the OE Beowulf, all but a handful follow the xxxy pattern. Alliteration highlights stresses and propels the rhythm of the verse.

A.S.
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