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limping iamb

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 variation of iambic meter where one syllable is irregularly shortened or dropped, creating asymmetry

Detailed Definition
Limping iamb is an iambic foot that substitutes a pyrrhic (two unstressed syllables) or spondee (two stressed) in place of the standard unstressed-stressed pattern, producing a rhythmic stumble; this metrical irregularity can signal emotional disruption, fatigue, or dramatic emphasis in English verse.
Example
Example in poetry:
An iambic foot (u −) that has been replaced by a different foot, such as a trochee (- u), a spondee (- -), or a pyrrhic (u u), creating a slight stumble in the rhythm; The substitution of a trochee in the first foot of an iambic line: "Daily toils" instead of "The daily toils"
Additional Notes
limping iamb: An iambic foot (unstressed−stressed) that is deliberately altered or substituted (e.g., replaced by a trochee or spondee) to create a halting, irregular, or "limping" rhythmic effect within an otherwise regular iambic line.
Also Known As
Halting iamb Broken-foot iamb Crippled iamb Hipponactean verse
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