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Explicit signification

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

Poetic language that conveys meaning directly and unambiguously, avoiding metaphor, ambiguity, or symbolic indirection for clarity.

Detailed Definition
Explicit signification occurs when a poem’s language directly and unambiguously conveys its intended meaning, avoiding metaphor, symbolism, or implication; it is often used for clarity, didacticism, or political urgency, though it may risk sacrificing poetic suggestiveness.
Example
Example in poetry:
In William Carlos Williams’ “This Is Just To Say,” explicit signification appears in the clear admission: “I have eaten / the plums”; In Robert Frost’s “Fire and Ice,” explicit signification states directly: “I hold with those who favor fire”; In Langston Hughes’ “Harlem,” explicit signification asks plainly: “What happens to a dream deferred?”; In Gwendolyn Brooks’ “We Real Cool,” explicit signification declares: “We / Jazz June”
Additional Notes
Explicit signification avoids ambiguity by stating meaning directly; while often discouraged in favor of suggestion, it can be powerful in political or didactic poetry when clarity is essential.
Also Known As
Clear denotation Unambiguous meaning Direct reference Direct signification Literal meaning
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