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Antistich

Structure
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 poetic line that directly opposes, challenges, or reinterprets the sentiment or claim of the line immediately before it.

Detailed Definition
An antistich is a pair of contrasting or opposing lines placed in direct juxtaposition to highlight thematic or tonal conflict; this device functions as a microcosm of dialectical structure, often resolving or intensifying tension through binary opposition.
Example
Example in poetry:
Antistich: A couplet where the second line contradicts or reverses the first; e.g., Alexander Pope: “To err is human; to forgive, divine,” presenting moral contrast in two lines.
Additional Notes
Line responding to previous line, often with opposite sense. Related to stichomythia in dramatic verse. Creates dialogue effect or dialectical progression. Useful for debate poems or dramatic monologues.
Also Known As
Response verse answering line
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