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Descort

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 medieval Occitan lyric form characterized by irregular meter, shifting rhyme schemes, and thematic discord, expressing emotional or social disarray.

Detailed Definition
A descort is a medieval Occitan lyric form characterized by irregular stanza lengths, discordant rhymes, and deliberately “discordant” content—often expressing emotional turmoil or social critique—whose very form enacts the dissonance it describes, contrasting with harmonious cansos.
Example
Example in poetry:
Descort: "Medieval Provençal form where each stanza varies meter and rhyme" (formal rebellion); "Stanzas clash in rhythm—love’s discord made structural" (thematic dissonance); "Each verse section sings a different tune, defying unity" (polyphonic dissent); "Modern descort: stanzas in conflicting dialects or fonts" (typographic revolt)
Additional Notes
Medieval Provençal lyric with irregular stanzas, varied line lengths, and changing rhyme schemes. Each stanza differs structurally. Highly complex form showing troubadour virtuosity. Contrast with more regular forms like canso.
Also Known As
Discordant verse unmatched stanzas broken form medieval lyric
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