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Dash

Notation
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 horizontal mark (– or —) used for interruption, emphasis, or abrupt shifts in poetic thought.

Detailed Definition
Dashes in poetry create dramatic pauses, signal interruptions, or set off parenthetical thoughts; they disrupt linear flow to convey urgency, hesitation, or emotional intensity, as seen in the works of Emily Dickinson, where they shape rhythm and psychological depth.
Example
Example in poetry:
Dashes indicate interruption: “I was going to say—but never mind”; In Dickinson, dashes create rhythmic breaths; Dashes set off appositives: “Hope—a bird—perches”; In modern verse, dashes show hesitation: “Maybe—no—yes”; Dashes replace parentheses for emphasis: “The truth—raw and bleeding—hurts”; In dramatic monologues, dashes mark thought shifts.
Additional Notes
Dash: The dash (– or —) in poetry creates abrupt shifts, interruptions, or emphatic pauses; its length and style (en, em, or swung) carry distinct rhythmic implications—Emily Dickinson’s prolific use of the dash exemplifies its power to suspend syntax and evoke emotional or cognitive gaps.
Also Known As
hyphen-dash (generic) hurtle
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