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Call-and-response stanza

Form
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 stanza structured as an exchange between alternating speakers.

Detailed Definition
A call-and-response stanza organizes verse into alternating lines or phrases where one voice issues a statement or question and another replies, mimicking musical or liturgical antiphony; this stanzaic form builds rhythmic reciprocity and thematic development through repetition and variation, central to oral poetry traditions that prioritize communal engagement over solitary expression.
Example
Example in poetry:
“A stanza consisting of alternating lines where the first line asks a question and the second answers, e.g., ‘Where do you go? / To the river flow.’”; “A two-line stanza with call and response elements, such as ‘What’s the word? / Freedom’s heard.’”
Additional Notes
A stanza form where the lines are organized to facilitate a "call" (by one voice/set of lines) and a "response" (by a different voice/set of lines); The structure itself mandates the turn-taking; Common in work songs and Gospel music.
Also Known As
responsive stanza antiphonal stanza echo stanza
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