natural cadence

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

A cadence modeled on speech or bodily rhythms appearing in poetic line ends

Detailed Definition
Natural cadence refers to the inherent rhythmic flow of spoken language as it emerges in poetry, characterized by variable stress patterns, syntactic phrasing, and organic pauses that resist strict metrical grids in favor of authentic vocal inflection.
Example
Example in poetry:
The line "Something there is that doesn't love a wall," where the rhythm feels like spoken English, emphasizing 'something' and 'wall' (Frost); The musicality created by a poet's unique mix of stressed and unstressed syllables that deviates from perfect meter but sounds harmonious; The pauses and momentum in a line of free verse that feel instinctively right to the reader's ear; The rise and fall of speech that is determined by the meaning and syntax of the words, rather than a fixed pattern;
Additional Notes
natural cadence: The inherent, speech-like rhythm and flow of a poem or passage that is not strictly governed by a formal meter, but rather by the natural stress and pausing patterns of the language.
Also Known As
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