Home › Glossary › Letter M

mid-line pause

Sound
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 deliberate pause—marked by punctuation or syntax—in the middle of a line, used to control pacing, emphasize contrast, or create dramatic tension.

Detailed Definition
Mid-line pause is a caesura occurring within a poetic line, marked by punctuation or natural speech rhythm, that creates a momentary halt for emphasis or breath; it adds dynamism to meter and mirrors the cadences of spoken thought.
Example
Example in poetry:
'Sing me a song, (pause) a simple tune, and make it sweet ;' (A mid-line pause indicated by a comma, semicolon, or period); 'I have heard the mermaids singing, ; (pause) each to each.' (The semicolon forces a break in the rhythm and thought); 'He said, (pause) "Tomorrow, I shall leave this place."'; 'The silence followed, (pause) vast and deep, and cold.'
Additional Notes
A rhythmic or grammatical stop (caesura) that occurs somewhere in the middle of a line of verse, interrupting the flow; contributes significantly to the poem's overall cadence and emphasis.
Also Known As
caesural pause medial halt
Skip to main content