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Cradle song

Form
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 gentle, soothing poem modeled after a lullaby, often with rocking rhythm

Detailed Definition
Cradle song is a poetic genre mimicking the soothing qualities of a lullaby, employing gentle rhythms, repetitive structures, and tender imagery to evoke comfort, protection, or sleep; often addressed to an infant, it may also symbolize spiritual or emotional refuge, as in Blake’s “Cradle Song,” where lyrical softness conveys both maternal care and metaphysical innocence.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Cradle Song” by William Blake (“Sleep, sleep, beauty bright”) is a classic cradle song; “Lullaby” by W.B. Yeats (“Sleep in peace, my little one”) uses soothing rhythm; “Hush, Little Baby” (traditional American lullaby) functions as cradle song verse; “Rock-a-bye Baby” employs rocking meter typical of cradle songs
Additional Notes
Cradle song is synonymous with lullaby verse—a soothing, rhythmic poem intended to lull a child to sleep, often using repetition, soft consonants, and gentle imagery; closely related to berceuse poem and sleep verse.
Also Known As
Infant’s Lullaby Slumber Song Nightfall Verse Hushed Cradle Rhyme Lullaby poem lullaby Berceuse
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