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choriamb variation

Meter
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 metrical substitution using the choriamb (– u u –) within a line, often to vary rhythm or evoke classical lyricism in quantitative verse.

Detailed Definition
Choriamb variation denotes any deliberate alteration of the standard choriambic foot (— ∪ ∪ —) within a line or stanza, such as inversion, substitution, or truncation, to avoid monotony or enhance expressive nuance; these variations maintain the essential choriambic character while allowing rhythmic flexibility in lyric or dramatic verse.
Example
Example in poetry:
Choriamb variation substitutes choriamb (– ˘ ˘ –) in standard meters; in Horace’s odes, choriamb variation adds solemnity; English approximations appear in Tennyson’s “Boadicea”; the variation creates rhythmic surprise within stanzas; choriamb variation suits elevated or ceremonial themes; it appears in hymns and odes
Additional Notes
choriamb variation|A modification or substitution of the choriambic foot (–∪∪–) in a metrical line, often used for rhythmic effect or to fit an accentual pattern.
Also Known As
modified choriamb altered choriamb pattern variant choriamb Choriambic substitution
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