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Cantilevered line

Structure
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 poetic line visually projecting into margins, echoing architectural cantilevers

Detailed Definition
A cantilevered line is a poetic line that extends beyond expected metrical or syntactic boundaries, creating a sense of suspension or imbalance; it often enjambs dramatically, leaning into the next line for resolution, producing tension and forward momentum.
Example
Example in poetry:
Cantilevered line in Jorie Graham: "and the light— / not falling but held"; Contemporary example: "She left— / the door still open"; Cantilevered lines suspend meaning mid-air before resolution; The technique creates tension through delayed completion; Cantilevered lines mimic architectural overhangs
Additional Notes
A line that extends metrically or syntactically beyond the stanza's established pattern, projecting outward. Creates emphasis through deviation. Often found in experimental or modernist poetry.
Also Known As
Overhanging line projecting verse extended line self-supporting line
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