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grandiloquence

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

Use of lofty, pompous, or excessive diction for stylistic effect

Detailed Definition
Grandiloquence is a rhetorical style marked by lofty diction, elaborate syntax, and heightened emotion, often used in epic, prophetic, or ceremonial poetry to convey awe, authority, or moral urgency; it risks bombast but can achieve sublime power.
Example
Example in poetry:
Lofty diction: “O resplendent orb of celestial fire”; Ornate periphrasis: “the aqueous element descended from heaven” (rain); Milton’s Latinate phrasing in Paradise Lost; Byron’s exaggerated swelling tone in satire passages
Additional Notes
grandiloquence: A style of speaking or writing that is excessively formal, pompous, or self-important, using elaborate or high-sounding language; in poetry, it can be used for comedic or satirical effect.
Also Known As
rhetorical grandeur verbal excess pompous eloquence lofty diction Bombast exaggeration
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