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Dimeter acatalectic

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

A two-foot metrical line with no syllables missing at beginning or end

Detailed Definition
Dimeter acatalectic is a metrical line consisting of exactly two metrical feet with no syllables omitted at the end (i.e., “acatalectic” means complete); common in hymns or nursery rhymes (e.g., “Twinkle, twinkle, little star”), it creates a compact, rhythmic effect ideal for emphasis or musicality.
Example
Example in poetry:
Greek lyric uses dimeter acatalectic (two complete feet, no truncation); Sappho’s fragments include glyconic dimeters; modern example: A.E. Stallings writes dimeter acatalectic in “Sestina: Like”; this meter is concise and song-like; it differs from catalectic (incomplete) dimeter; dimeter acatalectic suits epigrammatic intensity.
Additional Notes
Two-foot line without catalexis (complete final foot). Basic metrical unit with full ending. Compare with catalectic dimeter; study as building block of larger forms.
Also Known As
complete dimeter full dimeter
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