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Alisoun

Literary Character
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 medieval form of the name Alison. In Chaucer, Alisoun is the wife at the center of the tale's action.

Detailed Definition
Alisoun is the Middle English spelling of Alison, a common female name in medieval literature. In Chaucer's tale, she is the carpenter's young wife and the object of several men's attention, so the name identifies a key character rather than a modern common noun.
Example
Example in poetry:
In the medieval lyric, Alisoun is praised as “fair Alisoun” beneath the bough; “Bytuene Mersh and Averil / When spray beginneth to spring,” the lover seeks Alisoun; Alisoun becomes the distant beloved of courtly desire; A modern speaker might text Alisoun across centuries, changing courtship's medium
Additional Notes
The name in the evidence is a medieval literary character name, and many modern readers may not recognize the spelling Alisoun.; Found in the poem, The Miller's Tale by Richard
Other Meanings of “Alisoun”
Also Known As
Alison Alysoun Alisoun of Bath The Wife of Bath
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