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Duration-dependent

Concept
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 poetic element whose meaning or effect relies on the perceived length of time in reading or performance

Detailed Definition
Duration-dependent poetry relies on the perceived or actual time of reading—through pacing, pauses, or silence—to convey meaning; central to performance and concrete poetry, it treats duration as a semantic element, where a ten-second pause may signify grief or a rapid sequence may evoke panic, making the reader’s temporal experience integral to interpretation.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poem meant to be read slowly over 10 minutes to feel its weight; A haiku whose power relies on a 3-second pause after reading; A performance piece where silence between lines equals their duration; A poem using long vowels to stretch perceived time; A verse whose meaning shifts if read quickly vs. slowly
Additional Notes
Duration-dependent poetry relies on reading time—speed, pauses, or silence—to convey meaning; central to performance poetry and concrete verse; students should experiment with timed readings to experience how duration shapes interpretation; linked to "breath line" and "temporal break"; consider John Cage’s influence on poetic silence.
Also Known As
time-sensitive verse temporally contingent metrically elastic Temporal Time-based
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