Home › Glossary › Letter A

Asterisk-marked structure

Structure
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

A poetic form that uses asterisks consistently to signal stanza breaks, thematic shifts, or pauses, creating visual and structural punctuation.

Detailed Definition
Asterisk-marked structure refers to a poem whose organization is defined by asterisks that segment the text into discrete units, each potentially operating as a micro-poem or thematic variation; this layout emphasizes fragmentation, multiplicity, or nonlinear progression while maintaining visual unity.
Example
Example in poetry:
Claudia Rankine’s “Citizen” uses asterisk-marked structure to segment racial vignettes; Asterisk-marked structure creates modular, non-linear narratives; It allows readers to enter the poem at multiple points; In experimental poetry, asterisks denote erasure or redaction; The form mirrors fragmented consciousness or trauma.
Additional Notes
Asterisk-marked structure is a poetic form or arrangement where the divisions between parts are formally indicated using one or more asterisks; often denotes a structural break equivalent to a canto or major section.
Also Known As
Asterisk structure Starred measure Mark-marked structure Asterismic structure
Skip to main content