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Beginning-clipped trimeter

Meter
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 three-foot line with the opening unstressed syllable removed, often dactylic

Detailed Definition
Beginning-clipped trimeter describes a three-foot metrical line (often dactylic) in which the initial unstressed syllable of the first foot is omitted, creating a trochaic or spondaic start; this “headless” line adds rhythmic variation and emphasis to the opening beat.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Sun bright, moon light, stars bright” (beginning clipped from trimeter to shorter lines); “Gone fast, wind past, skies cast” (trimeter with clipped start); “Leaves fall, birds call, night’s call” (trimeter with clipped first beat)
Additional Notes
Beginning-clipped trimeter: A three-foot line of verse where the first unstressed syllable of the first foot (or the whole first foot) has been omitted; a form of catalexis or truncation.
Also Known As
Headless trimeter Acephalous trimeter Initial-clipped three-measure Catalexis trimeter Dactylic trimeter acephalous
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