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Motto

Heraldic Terms
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 brief phrase or slogan on a coat of arms expressing the values, aspirations, or identity of its bearer.

Detailed Definition
A motto encapsulates guiding principles or ideals. In poetry, it often highlights personal or familial ethos, reinforcing thematic messages or character motivations.
Example
Example in poetry:
The motto “Virtute et Fide” crowned the arms like a whisper of ancestral creed; “My motto: ink and fire,” the poet declared his tools of truth and passion; In elegiac verse, the absent motto spoke louder than words—silence as legacy; The motto scroll beneath the shield became a banner of personal philosophy; “Per aspera ad astra,” the school’s motto inspired odes to perseverance in the poet’s youth.
Additional Notes
Motto is a phrase or slogan, usually in Latin, French, or Gaelic, displayed on a scroll beneath (or occasionally above) the shield; it expresses familial or national ethos (e.g., “Dieu et mon droit”); in poetry, mottos offer concise thematic anchors or ironic counterpoints to visual arms; note that mottos are not part of the formal blazon and may change across generations.
Also Known As
Device Legend
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