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Discordant harmony

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

The effect of combining harsh or conflicting sounds to create a unified artistic impression

Detailed Definition
Discordant harmony describes the productive tension created when conflicting elements achieve overall balance. This paradoxical effect occurs when opposing sounds, images, or ideas are arranged so their very discord produces a higher unity, making disagreement itself a form of aesthetic coherence.
Example
Example in poetry:
Hopkins's poetry balancing rough sound with beauty; Metaphysical conceits uniting opposites; Modernist techniques creating unity through fragmentation; Postmodern poetry harmonizing discordant elements
Additional Notes
Creates aesthetic unity through seemingly incompatible elements. Common in metaphysical poetry and baroque art. Related to concepts of paradox and coincidentia oppositorum.
Also Known As
Paradoxical concord Clashing consonance Contradictory harmony Discordia concors concordia discors
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