Home › Glossary › Letter C

Continuous chorus

Device
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 refrain that repeats so persistently it suggests endless recurrence, evoking inevitability, obsession, or cyclical time.

Detailed Definition
A refrain, repeated line, or recurring phrase that suggests endless repetition, eternal recurrence, or infinite continuation beyond the poem's boundaries. The continuous chorus creates hypnotic, obsessive, or timeless effects through repetition that seems capable of perpetual renewal. Examples include Poe's "Nevermore," Blake's prophetic refrains, or any repeated element suggesting the cycle will never cease. This technique evokes eternity, obsession, inevitability, or the perpetual nature of certain truths.
Example
Example in poetry:
Dylan Thomas' "Rage, rage against the dying of the light"; Poe's "Nevermore" repeated endlessly; Blake's repeated "And did those feet in ancient time"; Refrain suggesting eternal recurrence
Additional Notes
Creates hypnotic or obsessive effect. Common in ballads and refrains suggesting eternal recurrence or obsession. Consider psychological implications of endless repetition.
Also Known As
Eternal refrain Endless repetend Perpetual chorus Unceasing repetition Endless refrain Infinite refrain
Skip to main content