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narrow line

Structure
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 verse line intentionally short in syllable count or visual length, often to create emphasis, pause, or fragmentation.

Detailed Definition
A narrow line is a short verse line, often containing only one to three words or a single metrical foot, used to create visual emphasis, dramatic pause, or rhythmic fragmentation that draws attention to key images or moments of tension.
Example
Example in poetry:
"In a station of the Metro / Petals on a wet, black bough." (Pound's Imagist poem, often only two words per line broken across two lines); "So much depends / upon / a red wheel / barrow." (Williams's poem, demonstrating extreme line breaks); A poem composed of a series of single, short, impactful words: "Cold. / Stone. / Silence. / Wait."; A stanza where lines consist solely of a preposition followed by a single noun: "Of shadow. / By morning. / To silence. / With breath.";
Additional Notes
narrow line: A poetic line that is significantly shorter in word count, syllable count, or metrical feet than the surrounding lines or the typical length for the form, often used to create a sudden pause or emphasis.
Also Known As
slender line thin verse line narrow poetic form Capillary line
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