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Epiphonema

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 short, exclamatory sentence that summarizes a preceding passage

Detailed Definition
Epiphonema is a concluding statement or sententious remark appended to a passage or poem to underscore its moral or thematic point, functioning as a pithy summation akin to a maxim or aphorism; common in classical and Renaissance verse, it often appears in the final couplet of a sonnet or stanza—such as in Ben Jonson’s epitaphs (“Rest in soft peace”)—where brevity and gravity crystallize the preceding meditation into enduring wisdom, bridging poetic artistry and ethical reflection.
Example
Example in poetry:
La Fontaine’s fables end with epiphonema: “All this I’ve said to show...”; Pope’s “Essay on Man”: “Whatever is, is right”; Epiphonema delivers moral punchline in didactic poetry; Modern example: “And so we learn: silence kills.”
Additional Notes
Epiphonema is a concluding moral or sententious remark, often aphoristic; common in didactic poetry and classical rhetoric, it delivers a takeaway after narrative or descriptive buildup.
Other Meanings of “Epiphonema”
Also Known As
Concluding reflection Final exclamation Closing comment Summary remark Exclamation
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