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Dichotic verse

Sound
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

Verse that simultaneously employs two contrasting sound patterns—such as consonance and dissonance—to create auditory tension or polyphony.

Detailed Definition
Dichotic verse refers to poetry that presents two simultaneous or contrasting auditory streams—often through layout, typography, or polyvocal narration—inviting readers to experience competing voices, perspectives, or rhythms akin to dichotic listening in psychology; this form challenges linear reading and foregrounds multiplicity.
Example
Example in poetry:
Verse presenting two simultaneous perspectives: stereo sound in poetry; Contrapuntal columns (e.g., Julia Alvarez); Modern: poems with split-page voices; Example: Warsan Shire’s dual narratives of home/war
Additional Notes
Poetry emphasizing hearing's splitting of sound between ears, creating spatial or stereophonic effects. Related to sound poetry and performance. Experimental technique engaging auditory perception.
Also Known As
dual-track verse split-sound poetry
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