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Brief hymn

Genre
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 short devotional poem that praises a deity, saint, or spiritual principle; it is concise, reverent, and often intended for liturgical use or private meditation.

Detailed Definition
A brief hymn is a short devotional or celebratory poem that condenses praise, reverence, or spiritual reflection into a compact lyrical form, often employing elevated diction, regular meter, and recurring motifs of light, grace, or divine presence; unlike full-length hymns used in liturgical settings, the brief hymn functions as a poetic miniature that captures a moment of awe or communion, as seen in Emily Dickinson’s sacred verses.
Example
Example in poetry:
George Herbert’s “Antiphon (I)” opens: “My God, where is that ancient heat towards Thee?” expressing devotion in just six lines; Christina Rossetti’s “A Birthday” celebrates divine love in eight brief lines; Isaac Watts’ “I Sing the Mighty Power of God” condenses praise into a short hymn; modern example: “O Light that bends but does not break— / Hold us in your silent wake.”
Additional Notes
A brief hymn is a short devotional or celebratory poem, often structured with regular meter and rhyme; it typically expresses reverence, gratitude, or praise and may echo liturgical or psalmic traditions.
Also Known As
Miniature devotional Short sacred lyric Compact paean Concise hymn short hymn
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