Home › Glossary › Letter A

Aspiration

Sound
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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

The audible breathiness or soft 'h'-like sound in speech or poetry, often used for atmospheric or emotional effect.

Detailed Definition
Aspiration in poetics refers both to the breathy phonetic quality of certain consonants (like /h/) and to the thematic yearning or idealism expressed in verse; it can evoke vulnerability, transcendence, or the ephemeral nature of speech itself, linking sound and spirit.
Example
Example in poetry:
Aspiration in poetry refers to breath or spiritual longing: Whitman’s catalogs embody democratic aspiration; Rumi’s verses express mystical aspiration toward divine union; contemporary climate poetry voices ecological aspiration; the term also denotes phonetic breathiness (h-sounds) in alliteration; Aspiration links physical and metaphysical yearning
Additional Notes
Aspiration in poetry refers to the breathy quality of certain sounds (like “h”) or the thematic yearning for transcendence; it can influence both sonic texture and emotional tone.
Also Known As
Breath sound voiced aspiration consonant breathing phonetic release Ambition
Skip to main content