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Formal language

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

Elevated, ceremonial diction and syntax used to convey dignity, ritual, or heightened emotional gravity.

Detailed Definition
Elevated, dignified vocabulary and syntax appropriate for serious or ceremonial subjects, creating distance and solemnity through word choice and grammatical structure. Common in epic, ode, and elevated lyric poetry, formal language employs Latinate rather than Germanic vocabulary, abstract rather than concrete terms, and complex rather than simple syntax, contrasting with colloquial or conversational registers to establish appropriate tone for weighty subjects like death, heroism, or philosophical meditation.
Example
Example in poetry:
Formal language uses elevated or archaic diction: Milton’s “Paradise Lost” (“Hail, holy Light”); Spenser’s “The Faerie Queene” with “thee/thou”; T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land” mixes liturgical Latin with modern slang; contemporary examples include A.E. Stallings’ mythological register; Geoffrey Hill’s dense allusiveness in “Mercian Hymns.”
Additional Notes
Creates distance and elevation. Common in epic, ode, and ceremonial poetry. Contrasts with colloquial or conversational registers. Can seem artificial if poorly executed.
Also Known As
Elevated diction High register Ceremonial language Dignified speech
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