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Galloping octameter

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

An anapestic octameter line with a strong galloping quality in its rhythm.

Detailed Definition
Galloping octameter is an eight-foot line built on anapestic or dactylic patterns, producing an exceptionally long, surging rhythm that can feel breathless or overwhelming; its rarity in English makes it a striking choice for experimental or heightened emotional passages.
Example
Example in poetry:
Byron’s “Don Juan” uses ottava rima with galloping octameter energy; Poe’s “The Raven” uses trochaic octameter as galloping octameter; Contemporary poet Annie Finch uses galloping octameter for incantation; Galloping octameter appears in 19th-century narrative verse; In “Evangeline,” Longfellow adapts dactylic hexameter toward galloping octameter.
Additional Notes
Galloping octameter: A non-technical term for an eight-foot line (octameter) dominated by anapestic or dactylic feet, resulting in a very long, fast-paced, and potentially overwhelming rhythm; often used for comic effect.
Also Known As
Galloping eight-foot line octameter gallop racing long verse Anapestic octameter
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