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Contraction

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 poetic device shortening words by omitting letters or syllables (e.g., “o’er” for “over”) to maintain meter, rhythm, or archaic tone.

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Detailed Definition
The shortened form of words through omission of letters, typically marked by an apostrophe, used extensively in formal verse to maintain regular meter or in informal speech to create conversational tone. Common contractions include "I'll" for "I will," "ne'er" for "never," and "o'er" for "over." While essential in Renaissance and Romantic poetry for metrical purposes, modern poets often avoid contractions in favor of more natural speech rhythms, though they remain useful for achieving specific metrical effects.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Shakespeare’s sonnets, “I cannot swear” contracts to “I cannot’ swear”; Emily Dickinson often uses contractions like “’Tis” or “o’er” for metrical ease; Modern poets like E.E. Cummings use “i” instead of “I” as typographic contraction; Contractions in blues poetry (e.g., Sterling Brown) reflect vernacular speech; Contemporary spoken word often uses contractions for rhythmic authenticity.
Additional Notes
Essential for maintaining meter in formal verse. Common in Renaissance and Romantic poetry. Modern poets often avoid contractions for more natural speech rhythms.
Also Known As
Elision Apostrophe abbreviation Syncopation Shortened form Haplology Crasis Stricture
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