lisp of silk against silk

[kahroba]

Dear all
What is meant by "lisp of silk against silk" in the following context from "The Day of the Locust" by Nathanael West:

He thought that he heard the lisp of silk against silk, but it was only the wind playing in the trees.

Is that just whispering of the wind? or the leaves?

 

[Packard]

He is trying to convey the sound of silk rubbing against silk--a nearly silent sibilant sound--a hiss of sorts.

 

[The Newt]

He may have thought that he heard a woman wearing a silk dress. "Lisp" is just an attempt to describe what sound a silk garment would make.

 

[Rival]

It's rather a strange choice of words.

As Packard points out, it's a "sibilant sound--a hiss of sorts", while a lisp is the inability to pronounce sibilant sounds. A typical lisp uses -th- instead of -s-.
.

 

[Packard]

It's rather a strange choice of words.

As Packard points out, it's a "sibilant sound--a hiss of sorts", while a lisp is the inability to pronounce sibilant sounds. A typical lisp uses -th- instead of -s-.
.

The writer might have confused the "whistling s" speech impediment with the "lisp", or he might have thought the "th" sound more like the sound of rustling silk against silk. But in any case he is trying to convey the sound of silk moving against silk.

 

[Rival]

But in any case he is trying to convey the sound of silk moving against silk.

Yes, I realise that. I'm simply commenting that he has chosen a rather strange, ineffectual and misleading way to do it.
.