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Double-short sequence

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 series of metrical units featuring repeated double-short (pyrrhic) feet

Detailed Definition
A double-short sequence is a series of poetic lines or stanzas built from feet composed exclusively of two short (unstressed) syllables, creating a distinctive, rapid tempo that challenges conventional metrical expectations and often serves expressive or experimental purposes.
Example
Example in poetry:
A series of lines each beginning with two unstressed syllables followed by two stressed, creating a wave-like rhythm; In Greek lyric, a passage like “βραδέως βαίνεις, ὦ φίλε, βραδέως” uses repeated double-short patterns; An English imitation: “In the hush of night we walked / In the glow of stars we talked”; A choral ode section where each metrical unit repeats the ˘ ˘ – – pattern for ritual effect.
Additional Notes
A double-short sequence repeats pyrrhic-based metrical units; creates light, rapid rhythm; often used in choral or ecstatic passages in Greek poetry.
Also Known As
Pyrrhic sequence Ionic wave sequence Light-foot progression Ionic stichic
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