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Five-measure unstressed

Meter
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 theoretical metrical line of five feet composed entirely of unstressed syllables, often used for rhythmic contrast.

Detailed Definition
Five-measure unstressed indicates a line structured with five metrical units where stress patterns are significantly reduced or ambiguous. This creates a softer, less emphatic rhythm than traditional five-foot lines with clear stress patterns.
Example
Example in poetry:
Pentameter consisting entirely of pyrrhic feet; Five two-syllable units all unstressed; Ten consecutive unstressed syllables; Metrically unusual five-measure pattern without stress
Additional Notes
Alternative term for hexametric pyrrhic verse, emphasizing the unstressed nature of all syllables. Theoretical construct; rare in practice. Pyrrhic feet are usually substitutions. Use for experimental weakness or speed. Study prosody textbooks for clarification. Mostly analytical concept.
Also Known As
Five-foot unstressed line Pentameter of pyrrhics Double-short pentameter Dibrachic pentameter
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