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lamb

Fauna
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 lamb is a young sheep, symbolizing innocence, purity, sacrifice, and the gentle, vulnerable beginning of life in pastoral and religious poetry.

Detailed Definition
The lamb is one of the most potent symbols in Western poetry, carrying Christian overtones of the sacrificial Christ, as well as the simple, bucolic joy of springtime. Its white fleece and soft bleating evoke a world of untainted beauty and protection. Poets use the lamb to explore themes of childhood, the loss of innocence, and the tender, fleeting moments of early life, from Blake's visionary songs to the quiet observations of rural verse, often contrasting its gentle nature with the harsh realities of the butcher or the wolf.
Example
Example in poetry:
William Blake's "The Lamb" asks: "Little Lamb, who made thee?".; William Wordsworth's "The Pet Lamb" depicts a maiden with a lamb.; The lamb can symbolize innocence and Christ.; Its meekness represents peace.; The animal's role in pastoral poetry is noted.
Additional Notes
The lamb is one of the most potent symbols in Western poetry, carrying Christian overtones of the sacrificial Christ, as well as the simple, bucolic joy of springtime. William Blake's "The Lamb" from Songs of Innocence asks the creature who made it, while Wordsworth's "The Pet Lamb" portrays a gentle, domestic scene. The lamb's white fleece and soft bleating evoke a world of untainted beauty and protection, but the shadow of the butcher, the wolf, or the coming of adulthood always lurks. Poets use the lamb to explore themes of childhood, the loss of innocence, and the tender, fleeting moments of early life. When writing, consider whether your lamb represents pure innocence, sacrificial love, or the vulnerability that calls for protection.
Other Meanings of “lamb”
Also Known As
innocent fleece sacrificial symbol spring gamboler lambkin
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