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excessive repetition

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

The deliberate overuse of repeated words or phrases for ironic, obsessive, or overwhelming effect, pushing repetition beyond convention.

Detailed Definition
Excessive repetition employs redundant words, phrases, or structures beyond rhetorical emphasis to evoke obsession, trauma, or ritualistic incantation; while risking monotony, it can powerfully convey psychological states where thought loops uncontrollably, as in poems addressing grief, addiction, or systemic violence.
Example
Example in poetry:
Repetition beyond necessity, such as in Poe’s “The Bells” where “tinkle, tinkle, tinkle” intensifies auditory imagery to the point of obsession
Additional Notes
The use of redundant or excessive restatement of the same word, phrase, or idea, which can either be a formal weakness or a deliberate device for emotional emphasis (e.g., in a dirge or chant).
Also Known As
Redundant repetition Overuse of refrain Excess recurrence Battologia
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