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five-unit choriamb

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

Pentameter line consisting of five repetitions of the choriamb foot

Detailed Definition
Five-unit choriamb is a line built from five choriambic feet (DUM-da-da-DUM), creating a majestic, undulating rhythm that combines strength and fluidity; this extended form amplifies the choriamb’s inherent balance and symmetry, often used in high lyric or ceremonial poetry to convey solemnity, cosmic order, or emotional depth through its resonant, wave-like cadence.
Example
Example in poetry:
Five-unit choriamb uses choriambic feet (long-short-short-long) five times; Rare in English due to stress patterns; Possible in incantatory or liturgical verse; Example: “Glo-ri-fi-ca-tion, praise”; “Hos-an-na in the high-est”
Additional Notes
A five-unit choriamb is synonymous with the five-foot choriambic line; it contains five repetitions of the choriambic foot (–⌣⌣–) and is used to describe the classical meter that creates a distinctive, often energetic, but highly complex rhythm.
Also Known As
Five-unit choriambus Choriambic sequence Pentachoriamb Choriambic pentameter
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