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Anacreontic catalectic

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

An anacreontic meter with a missing final syllable, creating a clipped, convivial rhythm often used in lighthearted or drinking poetry; named for the Greek poet Anacreon and adapted for playful, festive verse.

Detailed Definition
Anacreontic catalectic trims short iambs, used in songs for quick joy. It snaps festively; in lyrics, it captures revelry's brevity, enhancing light-heartedness.
Example
Example in poetry:
The anacreontic catalectic (u u / u / u) truncated at the end appears in "Come, let us drink while we may" (truncated final syllable); "The wine is sweet, the night is long" (catalectic anacreontic); "The stars shine bright, the air is still" (truncated ending); "The roses bloom, the winds are mild" (catalectic structure); "The lute plays soft, the moon is high" (incomplete final foot); "The laughter rings, the night grows deep" (anacreontic catalectic form).
Additional Notes
Anacreontic catalectic abbreviates the Anacreontic meter (a choriambic-based line: x – ᴗ – | – ᴗ – x), typically associated with light, convivial themes; truncation sharpens the rhythm, lending a brisk, playful energy well-suited to epigrams or drinking songs.
Also Known As
Catalectic Anacreontic shortened Anacreontic
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