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initial truncation

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 line missing syllables at its beginning, creating a truncated rhythm

Detailed Definition
Initial truncation is the deliberate shortening of a metrical line by omitting one or more unstressed syllables at its beginning, resulting in a headless or acephalous line; this technique creates rhythmic variation, dramatic emphasis, or a sense of abruptness, often used to signal emotional intensity or disruption.
Example
Example in poetry:
Emily Dickinson’s “I heard a Fly buzz—when I died—” uses initial truncation: “Blue—uncertain stumbling Buzz” omits first unstressed syllable; Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess” begins with truncated line: “That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall”; W.B. Yeats’ “The Second Coming” opens with truncated iambic: “Turning and turning in the widening gyre”; Contemporary poet Kay Ryan uses initial truncation for wit: “Short lines, sharp ends”; Sylvia Plath’s “Daddy” uses initial truncation: “I have always been scared of you”; T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” begins with truncated line: “Let us go then, you and I.”
Additional Notes
initial truncation: The cutting off or removal of one or more syllables from the beginning of a word to fit metrical constraints or for stylistic effect; similar to aphesis (loss of an unaccented initial vowel).
Also Known As
dropped opening omitted start beginning cut Acatalexis defective Acephalic
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