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Aeolic eleven-syllable

Meter
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 classical Greek lyric measure derived from the Aeolic tradition, containing eleven syllables distributed in a characteristic pattern, often associated with Sapphic verse and prized for melodic fluidity and emotional range.

Detailed Definition
A verse line containing eleven syllables arranged according to Aeolic prosodic principles, often called hendecasyllabic in classical terms. These lines combine syllabic counting with flexible stress patterns characteristic of Aeolic verse, creating graceful, flowing rhythms. The eleven-syllable Aeolic line allows substantial phrasing capacity while maintaining lyric concision, suitable for both narrative and meditative verse. This length permits complex syntax within single lines while the Aeolic patterning prevents rhythmic rigidity.
Example
Example in poetry:
Horace’s Odes I.9 (“Vides ut alta stet nive candidum Soracte”) uses Aeolic eleven-syllable (Alcaic) lines; Sappho’s “Ode to Aphrodite” employs eleven-syllable lines for melodic invocation; Ezra Pound’s “Alba” adapts the form: “As cool as the palm of my hand / against the cheek of my love”; contemporary poet A.E. Stallings uses Aeolic eleven-syllable in “Sestina: Like”; this line typically follows pattern: trochee + dactyl + trochee + iamb; it balances lyrical flexibility with rhythmic stability.
Additional Notes
Aeolic eleven-syllable line is likely a confusion—classical Aeolic lines (e.g., Sapphic) are measured in metrical feet, not syllables; English adaptations may approximate syllable counts loosely.
Also Known As
Aeolic hendecasyllable Eleven-syllable Aeolic line Sapphic length verse
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