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Lagoon

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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 shallow body of water separated from the sea by sand, reef, or barrier land.

Detailed Definition
A lagoon creates a zone of still or slowly moving water beside a more forceful sea. Its calm surface may reflect clouds, mangroves, reeds, or distant hills, while its barrier emphasizes separation and protection. In poetry, a lagoon can hold images of suspended time, hidden life, fragile ecosystems, and the muted aftermath of waves beyond its edge.
Example
Example in poetry:
“The lagoon holds the moon in its green, unmoving hand,” using still water for reflection and mystery; A poet can set bright birds along a lagoon to create a lush, tropical soundscape; “Between the sea’s anger and the shore’s silence lay the lagoon,” presenting it as sheltered but vulnerable; Let a child watch tidewater enter a lagoon to explore change, erosion, and time
Additional Notes
A lagoon is sheltered water, often where sea and land meet. Its stillness, tidal movement, reflected light, and boundary position make it useful for poems about enclosure, refuge, erosion, and ecological fragility.
Also Known As
Coastal Lagoon Laguna
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