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Metaplasm

Sound
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

Any historical or deliberate alteration of word form (omission, addition, substitution) for metrical or stylistic reasons.

Detailed Definition
Metaplasm is a broad term for any deliberate alteration of standard spelling, pronunciation, or grammar for metrical, rhetorical, or expressive purposes—such as elision (“o’er”), syncope (“ne’er”), or archaic forms (“spake”); in poetry, metaplasms maintain rhythmic flow, evoke historical diction, or signal poetic license, allowing poets to bend linguistic norms to serve musicality and emotional nuance without sacrificing intelligibility.
Example
Example in poetry:
Metaplasm: “O’er for ‘over’” (poetic contraction); “E’en for ‘even’” (archaic); “‘Neath the moon’ instead of ‘beneath’” (elision); “Metaplasm alters spelling for meter” (technical)
Additional Notes
Any deviation from normal word formation—addition, omission, or transposition of letters/sounds. Related: metathesis, apocope, syncope. Includes elision, epenthesis, metathesis. Tip: Often used for metrical adjustment or archaic effect.
Also Known As
Sound change Phonetic alteration Letter manipulation Altered form
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