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Gawd

Archaic Terms
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 dialectal variation of 'God', often used in informal or colloquial speech.

Detailed Definition
The term 'Gawd' is a phonetic spelling of 'God', reflecting a specific dialectal pronunciation. In the poem, it underscores the speaker's critical view of the divine authority that politicians claim to represent. This usage adds a layer of irony and skepticism towards the sincerity of political figures.
Example
Example in poetry:
"an' Gawd, an' Laws" (dialect pronunciation of 'God'); "Gawd's mercy on us all" (religious); "For Gawd's sake, have pity" (appeal); "The Gawd of battles" (military); "Gawd above, hear my prayer" (supplication)
Additional Notes
The term 'Gawd' is used in the poem to critique the politicians' claims of divine backing.; Found in the poem, Politicians by Orrick Johns
Also Known As
God divine one Almighty celestial lord
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