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Decorative language

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

Ornamental or embellished diction used for aesthetic rather than purely referential effect

Detailed Definition
Decorative language emphasizes ornamental diction, alliteration, assonance, or elaborate syntax primarily for aesthetic pleasure rather than direct meaning; while sometimes criticized as excessive, it can enhance mood, texture, or ritualistic tone when used judiciously—particularly in Parnassian or Aesthetic poetry—where surface beauty is itself a moral or artistic statement.
Example
Example in poetry:
Decorative language embellishes with ornate diction or imagery, as in Keats’ “Ode to a Nightingale”: “Fast fading violets cover’d up in leaves”; In “The Eve of St. Agnes,” Keats writes: “St. Agnes’ Eve—Ah, bitter chill it was!” with rich sensory detail; Oscar Wilde’s “Symphony in Yellow” uses decorative language: “The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes”; Another: “Her gown shimmered like crushed moonlight stitched with silver thread”
Additional Notes
Decorative language emphasizes ornamental diction, alliteration, or elaborate syntax for aesthetic effect; use sparingly to avoid obscuring meaning—best paired with thematic richness or irony.
Also Known As
Ornamental diction Embellished phrasing Adorned speech elaborate diction florid style
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