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Everyday speech

Diction
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

Ordinary, unadorned language reflecting common verbal expression in poetry

Detailed Definition
Everyday speech in poetry refers to the incorporation of ordinary, unpolished language—including slang, pauses, repetitions, and grammatical irregularities—to convey authenticity and immediacy; it grounds poetic expression in real human interaction, distinguishing it from elevated or archaic diction.
Example
Example in poetry:
William Carlos Williams’s “This Is Just To Say” mimics a refrigerator note in everyday speech; Frank O’Hara’s “Poem (Lana Turner has collapsed!)” opens with tabloid-style phrasing; Gwendolyn Brooks’s “We Real Cool” uses teenage slang and rhythm; Raymond Carver’s minimalist poems replicate barstool confessions in plain idiom.
Additional Notes
Everyday speech in poetry prioritizes natural, unadorned language to convey authenticity; foundational to conversational poetry and plain diction—avoids archaic or overly literary phrasing.
Also Known As
Colloquial diction natural speech common language unpretentious utterance conversational language Vernacular
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