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Iambic dimeter

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

A two-foot line of iambs (∪ — ∪ —), often used in dialogue or rapid exchanges

Detailed Definition
Iambic dimeter is a metrical line composed of two iambic feet (u / u /), totaling four syllables; its brevity creates a brisk, rhythmic pace often used in hymns, nursery rhymes, or epigrams, as in Robert Herrick’s concise lyrics or Emily Dickinson’s compressed stanzas.
Example
Example in poetry:
Iambic dimeter: “The way / a crow”; Frost’s “Dust of Snow” uses it; “In spring / birds sing”; “She walks / in grace”; Two iambs per line; concise, often in hymns or light verse.
Additional Notes
Two iambic feet per line. Short line—four syllables typically. Related: iambic meter, dimeter. Study: brevity and compression in dimeter.
Also Known As
Two-stress iambic Iambic two-foot Short iambic line
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