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dwam

Archaic Terms
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

An archaic term for a fainting spell or state of unconsciousness; in poetry, it signifies extreme emotion, physical collapse, or a moment of oblivion that interrupts the narrative.

Detailed Definition
In Scots, 'dwam' denotes a sudden fainting or swooning, often associated with emotional distress or physical weakness. In the poem, the phrase 'The wife took a dwam and lay doun to dee;' illustrates a moment of crisis that impacts the speaker's romantic situation, adding to the poem's themes of love and loss.
Example
Example in poetry:
"The day it was set, and the bridal to be: The wife took a dwam and lay doun to dee" (Scots for 'faint' or 'trance'); "She fell in a dwam at the news" (shock); "The dwam of the prophet" (ecstatic); "In a dwam of love" (metaphorical); "He woke from his dwam" (revival)
Additional Notes
The term 'dwam' highlights a critical moment of emotional and physical turmoil, enhancing the poem's exploration of love's challenges.; Found in the poem, Werena my Heart licht I wad dee by Lady Grizel Baillie
Also Known As
daydream reverie stupor trance-like state
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