Home › Glossary › Letter C

chanson royale

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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 complex French verse form used in medieval poetic contests, often five stanzas with a refrain

Detailed Definition
A chanson royale is a complex 14th-century French fixed form comprising five eleven-line stanzas and an envoi, all sharing the same intricate rhyme scheme and refrain; reserved for noble patrons, this elevated genre combined technical virtuosity with courtly themes, showcasing the poet’s mastery through strict metrical discipline and interwoven sonic patterns.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Chanson royale is a medieval French form with five or six stanzas and a refrain.”; “Formal courtly chansons used in royal courts with elaborate structure.”
Additional Notes
A highly structured and demanding late-medieval French fixed form (a variation of the chanson); Typically consists of five stanzas of 10-16 lines, all sharing the same rhyme scheme and a common refrain, concluding with a short envoy.
Also Known As
royal song noble lyric Chant royal
Skip to main content