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Caesural pause

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 natural pause in the middle of a line of verse, often marked by punctuation

Detailed Definition
A caesural pause is a deliberate break or silence within a poetic line, marked by punctuation or natural speech rhythm, that divides the line into distinct phrasal units; it shapes pacing, emphasis, and breath, as in the medial caesura of classical hexameter.
Example
Example in poetry:
Caesural pause in Beowulf: "Oft Scyld Scefing || sceaþena þreatum"; Shakespeare: "To be, or not to be—that is the question"; Caesural pause marked by comma, dash, or natural breath; The pause creates rhythmic variation within line; Caesural pauses add dramatic emphasis in recitation
Additional Notes
Silence or breath at caesura; duration varies by context. Related: caesura, pause. Tip: Consider whether pause serves meaning (hesitation, emphasis) or simply breath/phrasing needs.
Also Known As
pause mid-line break mid-line pause Mid-line stopping
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