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consonantal correspondence

Device
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 technique where matching consonant sounds recur in corresponding positions across parallel phrases or lines, enhancing structural symmetry.

Detailed Definition
Consonantal correspondence refers to the matching or echoing of consonant sounds across parallel structures, phrases, or related words in a poem. This device creates sonic unity and reinforces rhetorical or syntactic patterns through sound. The correspondence may be systematic, creating a clear pattern, or more subtle and diffuse, contributing to overall acoustic texture. By linking words or phrases through consonantal similarity, poets can emphasize relationships, create memorable sound patterns, and add musicality while supporting the poem's meaning. This technique is fundamental to the sound-patterning that distinguishes poetry from prose.
Example
Example in poetry:
Consonantal correspondence: Words echoing consonant patterns across lines; Matching beginning or ending consonants in key words; Hopkins' intricate consonant matching in "The Windhover"; Structural consonant patterns creating unity
Additional Notes
consonantal correspondence|The deliberate patterning of consonant sounds across a poem; reinforces sound unity and memorability.
Also Known As
phonetic kinship sound affinity consonant linkage Consonantal parallelism
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