Home › Glossary › Letter A

Acousmatic verse

Sound
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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

Poetry composed specifically for audio recording where the source of the voice is unseen

Detailed Definition
Acousmatic verse is poetry that emphasizes sound detached from visible source or physical context, often using auditory imagery to create an ethereal or meditative atmosphere; it invites readers to “hear” the poem as if through a veil, focusing on sonic texture over visual or narrative clarity.
Example
Example in poetry:
Acousmatic verse in Susan Howe’s “Debths” uses fragmented archival sounds; acousmatic techniques in Caroline Bergvall’s “Drift” layer voices without visual source; Pierre Joris’s translations of Paul Celan emphasize disembodied sonic texture; acousmatic verse foregrounds listening over seeing, as in radio poetry
Additional Notes
Poetry emphasizing heard sound divorced from visible source. Draws from electroacoustic music theory. Creates disembodied, mysterious effect. Experimental modern technique.
Also Known As
Disembodied verse Sourceless poetry Hidden-origin verse Detached voice poetry
Skip to main content