Italian sonnet

Form
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 sonnet with octave and sestet, typically with a volta between them.

Detailed Definition
Italian sonnet, or Petrarchan sonnet, is a 14-line poem divided into an octave (ABBAABBA) presenting a problem or theme and a sestet (CDECDE or variant) offering resolution; developed by Petrarch, it influenced English poets like Milton and Wordsworth with its structured argument and lyrical introspection.
Example
Example in poetry:
Italian sonnet: A 14-line poem with octave (ABBAABBA) and sestet (CDECDE), as in Milton’s “When I Consider How My Light Is Spent”: “When I consider how my light is spent…” — argument shifts at the volta.
Additional Notes
Italian sonnet: Also known as Petrarchan sonnet; 14 lines divided into octave (ABBAABBA) and sestet (CDECDE or CDCDCD); typically presents a problem in octave and resolution in sestet; contrasts with English/Shakespearean sonnet.
Also Known As
Petrarchan sonnet Octave-sestet form Italian fourteen-liner Classic sonnet
Skip to main content