Home › Glossary › Letter I

Interlinear rhyme

Rhyme
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

Rhyme occurring between words within lines rather than at line endings, creating internal sonic links that enhance cohesion or surprise.

Detailed Definition
Interlinear rhyme is a vertical rhyming pattern where words in the same position across consecutive lines rhyme with each other—such as all first words rhyming, then all second words—creating a columnar sonic architecture; this rare technique produces a dense, woven texture that challenges linear reading and emphasizes simultaneity over sequence, often used in experimental or visual poetry.
Example
Example in poetry:
Interlinear rhyme matches sounds within lines, not at ends; in “The Raven,” Poe uses “weak and weary” as interlinear rhyme; Gerard Manley Hopkins’ “sprung rhythm” employs dense internal rhyme; modern example: hip-hop lyrics use interlinear rhyme for flow (“I never said I was the best, but I’m better than the rest”); this technique creates sonic texture and momentum; it’s key to oral and musical poetry.
Additional Notes
Interlinear rhyme occurs between words within lines rather than at ends; enriches sonic texture—combine with end rhyme for layered musicality.
Also Known As
Between-line rhyme Mid-verse echo Line-internal correspondence Within-line sound
Skip to main content