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broadsword

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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

Broadsword is a wide-bladed cutting sword, associated with military and Highland combat.

Detailed Definition
Broadsword enters poetry as a powerful emblem of the sweeping cut and the force of the heavy blade. In literary contexts it symbolizes the martial strength of the warrior. Poets use the broadsword to explore themes of the cleaving stroke, the weight of the weapon, and the cultural image of the sword that has armed the heroes of battle and ballad.
Example
Example in poetry:
The broadsword’s wide blade and sweeping cut flash in poems of open martial force; Historical and romantic verse arms the warrior with the heavy edge of the field; “The broadsword rose and the air itself seemed divided” demonstrates decisive violence; Educational lines present the weapon as the opposite of the thrusting rapier; Poets keep the broadsword when the contest requires weight rather than point.
Additional Notes
The broadsword’s wide blade and cutting power carry martial and often Highland associations that differ sharply from the thrust-oriented rapier. Poets who choose the weapon usually wish to emphasize weight, sweep, and decisive severance. Classroom discussion can usefully contrast edge and point as two different philosophies of violence. Related swords include the backsword and the claymore. The term rewards attention to the difference between the duel and the mêlée.
Also Known As
Sword
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