Dipodic verse

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 verse form with two primary stresses per line regardless of syllable count

Detailed Definition
Dipodic verse is meter based on pairs of metrical feet treated as a single rhythmic unit, common in ancient Greek and Latin poetry; each “dipody” functions as a composite beat, allowing for flexible yet patterned prosody that supports lyrical or choral performance.
Example
Example in poetry:
Dipodic verse: Anglo-Saxon lines like "Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum" follow dipodic structure—two stresses per half-line, forming a four-stress line total.
Additional Notes
Poetry where rhythm organizes around two-foot dipodic units rather than individual feet. Creates distinctive lilt. Common in ballads and folk songs. Related to strong-stress meter.
Also Known As
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