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Diffused accent

Meter
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

Stress spread across adjacent syllables creating ambiguous emphasis

Detailed Definition
Diffused accent describes stress patterns scattered irregularly throughout verse rather than following predictable metrical schemes. This distribution creates varied emphasis, avoiding mechanical rhythm while maintaining enough stress to guide reading without establishing fixed feet or regular patterns.
Example
Example in poetry:
Gerard Manley Hopkins's sprung rhythm distributes stress across syllables; Bridges's experiments with stress placement; Contemporary poets using indeterminate stress patterns; Pound's exploration of stress ambiguity
Additional Notes
Creates ambiguity about where stress falls, often across word boundaries. Common in Hopkins's sprung rhythm and experimental prosody. May reflect natural speech patterns or create deliberate uncertainty.
Also Known As
Scattered accent Diffuse stress Distributed emphasis Distributed stress
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