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Choriambic dimeter

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 two-foot line composed of two choriambic feet (long-short-short-long)

Detailed Definition
Choriambic dimeter is a classical meter consisting of two choriambic feet per line, each foot structured as long-short-short-long (/ u u /); it creates a stately, wave-like rhythm and appears in Greek and Latin lyric poetry, rarely adapted into English.
Example
Example in poetry:
Choriambic dimeter: “Deep in the / heart of night” – stressed-unstressed-unstressed-stressed pattern; Rare in English; found in Greek lyric fragments: “Wine-dark sea, / calm your rage”; Modern attempt: “Break the chains / forged in lies”; Choriamb = ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯, so dimeter = two feet: “Golden sun / sets in fire”.
Additional Notes
Two-foot line composed of choriambs, creating compact complex rhythm. Rare in English poetry. Four syllables total with long-short-short-long pattern per foot. Related to choriambic meter generally.
Also Known As
double choriamb rocking dimeter
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