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Double-short measure

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 metrical unit featuring two short syllables, characteristic of certain classical rhythms

Detailed Definition
Double-short measure refers to a metrical unit in classical prosody consisting of two short syllables (⏑⏑), often forming part of larger feet like the ionic or anapest; in modern poetry, the term may describe any rhythmic segment emphasizing brevity and lightness, used to contrast with longer, heavier measures and create dynamic prosodic variation.
Example
Example in poetry:
Greek iambic trimeter often uses double-short measures like “u u – u u –”; Anacreon’s lyrics employ double-short (pyrrhic) feet within longer lines; Sappho’s “Ode to Aphrodite” uses glyconic meter with double-short elements; Catullus 62 uses double-short measures in choral stanzas.
Additional Notes
Double-short measure refers to a metrical foot with two short (unstressed) syllables (pyrrhic: u u), often used within longer lines in Greek and Latin verse; rare as a standalone foot in English but appears in lyrical or musical passages.
Also Known As
Pyrrhic measure Double-light foot Light-light foot Unstressed pair Ionic dimeter
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