Home › Glossary › Letter I

imaginative leap

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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 sudden, metaphorical leap in imagery or idea connecting distant concepts

Detailed Definition
Imaginative leap describes a sudden, unexpected shift in a poem’s logic, imagery, or perspective that transcends literal continuity to reveal deeper connections—such as comparing grief to a migrating bird; this technique, central to metaphor and symbol, relies on intuitive insight rather than rational progression, allowing poetry to access emotional or spiritual truths beyond empirical observation.
Example
Example in poetry:
“He leapt from the ash into the stars” (sudden metaphorical shift); “She holds the ocean in a single tear”; “From the sight of a candle, he intuited the universe”; “The butterfly becomes his soul in motion”
Additional Notes
A sudden, abrupt shift in a poem's imagery, metaphor, or thought process, moving the focus to a completely new, unexpected idea or comparison; a key technique for surprising the reader and deepening thematic complexity.
Also Known As
poetic leap imaginative jump visionary bound creative leap Associative leap
Skip to main content