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Diagonal rhyme

Rhyme
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 slanted rhyme where matched sounds are not exact but fall on diagonal phonemes

Detailed Definition
Diagonal rhyme occurs when end-words of non-adjacent lines rhyme across stanzas or within irregular forms—such as linking line 1 of stanza 1 with line 2 of stanza 2—creating oblique sonic connections that weave a subtle, cross-stanzaic musical fabric.
Example
Example in poetry:
Diagonal rhyme: "Line 1 end-word rhymes with line 3 mid-word: 'light' / 'delightful'" (slant internal); "Rhyme slants across stanza: 'sea' (L1) echoes 'ease' (L2 mid)" (oblique linkage); "Not end-to-end, but corner-to-corner sound patterning" (visual + sonic); "Creates hidden harmony beneath surface dissonance" (subtle technique)
Additional Notes
Rhyme pattern reading diagonally across stanzas or lines rather than vertically or horizontally. Creates complex visual-sonic architecture. Experimental technique. Study alongside acrostic and shaped verse.
Also Known As
Slant rhyme Oblique rhyme Near rhyme Off rhyme cross rhyme
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