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Anticipation

Psychology
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 emotional state of readiness shaped by expectation of what is to come; in poetry, it builds suspense, frames forthcoming events, and colours the speaker's perception of the present moment.

Detailed Definition
Anticipation combines foresight with bodily and imaginative preparation. It can brighten a poem with unopened letters, approaching footsteps, or a horizon that seems to lean toward the speaker. Depending on its object, the feeling may be pleasurable, fearful, or mixed; its essential feature is the mind's forward reach, turning the future into a present emotional event before anything has actually arrived.
Example
Example in poetry:
In “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” Robert Frost creates anticipation as the speaker pauses before returning to his obligations; A poem about dawn can build anticipation through images that gradually brighten; Repeated predictions such as “soon” or “tomorrow” can make readers expect a coming event; A dramatic monologue may use clues about an approaching visitor to sustain anticipation
Additional Notes
Anticipation is expectation charged with emotion; it may feel hopeful, anxious, curious, or eager. It directs attention toward a possible future and can heighten bodily arousal, such as tension or quickened breathing. Distinguish anticipation from prediction, which concerns what is likely to happen. Poets can create it through pauses, withheld information, approaching images, or future-tense language.
Also Known As
Expectancy Expectation Foresight Hope Prolepsis Suspense
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