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Double epithet

Device
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 descriptive technique placing two adjectives side by side (e.g., “bright, burning eyes”) to amplify intensity, specificity, or emotional charge.

Detailed Definition
Double epithet is a rhetorical figure where two adjectives or descriptive phrases are jointly applied to a single noun for intensified effect (e.g., “the dark, stormy night”), often enhancing imagery, emotional tone, or symbolic weight through cumulative description.
Example
Example in poetry:
Double epithet: "The 'rosy-fingered dawn' (Homer)"; "Shakespeare’s 'double-vanquished foe'"; "Keats: 'silver-shedding moon'"; "Compound descriptor intensifies image: 'blood-red sunset'"; "Two adjectives fused for mythic weight: 'wine-dark sea'"
Additional Notes
The pairing of two adjectives before a noun (e.g., "dark, deep forest"), common in epic poetry. Homer's "wine-dark sea" exemplifies this technique. Contrast with transferred epithet where adjectives modify unexpected nouns.
Also Known As
Twin descriptor Paired modifier Double attribute Compound adjective
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