Mullings: An American Cyber-column By Rich Galen

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Alliteration Alley

Rich Galen

Monday March 28, 2005

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From New York City

The NCAA men's basketball tournament is promoted as "March Madness" which got me thinking about the whole alliteration thing.

March Madness is divided into four main categories: The opening weekend, which is not important enough to have its own nick name; the regional semi-finals; the regional finals; the national semi-finals and the championship game.

The regional semis are called the "sweet sixteen." The regional finals are called the "elite eight." And, of course the national semis are called the "Final Four" which is always capitalized.

This got me thinking about the way the American ear hears words. The two particularly pleasing patterns (good one, Rich) are alliteration and rhyme.

According to Webster's Third Unabridged an alliteration is defined as:

"The repetition usually initially of a sound that is usually a consonant in two or more neighboring words or syllables."

Uh. Yeah. What they said.

The New York Yankees have long been known as the "Bronx Bombers," who, were for a time led by Babe Ruth who's real first and middle names were George Herman but was such a big deal needed, in addition to "Babe," an additional, alliterative, nickname which was the "Sultan of Swat."

A week or so ago, we sat through the baseball-steroid hearings which featured, among others, Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire who, when they played together (whatever meaning you choose to give that phrase) at Oakland were known as the "Bash Brothers."

"Drug buddies," would more-or-less have met the rhyme test, but "steroid studs" might have been more truthful.

Here in New York, there is uptown and downtown, but there ain't no town like midtown because it's an alliteration: Midtown Manhattan.

The Beatles - John, Paul, George, and Ringo - were also known as the � anyone? Anyone?

Keerekt. The Fab Four. They could have been the Lovable Lillipudlians, but even as an alliteration that wouldn't have resonated here in the US of A very well.

Rhymes also please the ear. Lyricists used to have it down to a science. Witness this section of the Cole Porter tune, "You're the Top."

You're the Nile, you're the Tower of Pisa,
You're the smile on the Mona Lisa,
I'm a worthless check, a total wreck, a flop,
But if baby I'm the bottom, you're the top.

This, as opposed to that more recent example of brilliant use of the language, "In the Year 2525" by the song-writing team, Zager and Evans:

In the year 9595
I'm kinda wonderin' if man is gonna be alive.
He's taken everything this old Earth can give.
And he ain't put back nothing.

I believe Mr. Porter may have had more hit songs than Messers Zager and Evans, and for good reason.

Many moons ago, I was in the car with my brother and "2525" came on the radio. When they got to that line I said, "Here's how I think the conversation went:"

EVANS: Hey, Zager. What rhymes with "give?"
ZAGER: Nothin'
EVANS: Perfect!

As I remember, my brother made me get out of the car. And, at the time, he was driving me to the hospital.

March Madness will soon be history. In Washington, DC we are looking forward to opening day of the baseball season. When I was growing up I remember Mel Allen inviting me to enjoy � Baseball and Ballentine.

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