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Auditory figure

Sound
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 sonic device or pattern in poetry designed to evoke specific sounds or listening experiences

Detailed Definition
An auditory figure is a poetic device that foregrounds sound to convey meaning, including onomatopoeia, alliteration, assonance, or rhythm that mimics real-world noises or emotional states; unlike purely visual imagery, auditory figures engage the reader’s ear directly, as in Poe’s “The Bells” where clanging repetitions sonically enact the poem’s theme of escalating anxiety.
Example
Example in poetry:
In “The Bells,” Poe uses onomatopoeia (“tinkle, tinkle, tinkle”) as an auditory figure; Shakespeare’s “Full fathom five thy father lies” mimics sea sounds; Gerard Manley Hopkins’ “Pied Beauty” uses alliteration (“swift, slow; sweet, sour”) as sonic texture; Gwendolyn Brooks’ “We Real Cool” uses rhythmic syncopation to mimic jazz.
Additional Notes
Auditory figure refers to sound-based poetic devices like alliteration, assonance, consonance, or onomatopoeia that shape how a poem is heard; essential in oral traditions and performance poetry.
Also Known As
Sound device phonetic figure aural trope sonic ornament aural figure sound-based imagery
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