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overline metre

Meter
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 metrical form in which a line’s syllable count surpasses the standard pattern'

Detailed Definition
A metrical arrangement where an extra beat, syllable, or stress appears above the regular scansion line in a written or musical score-like representation, known as overline metre; often serves to indicate supplementary rhythm or alternative reading for performance emphasis.
Example
Example in poetry:
overline metre: In Old English poetry like “Beowulf,” overlong lines (hypermetric) add solemnity, e.g., “Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum” with extra stress; some Anglo-Saxon elegies use overline metre for lamentation; modern poets like W.H. Auden occasionally extend lines for rhetorical weight; overline metre disrupts expected rhythm to emphasize key phrases; it appears in oral-formulaic traditions for mnemonic or dramatic effect; typically adds one or two extra stresses beyond norm.
Additional Notes
Extended line length beyond typical measure at the beginning of a stanza; draws opening emphasis. Hypermetric line. Creates grandeur or delay. Study Milton. Enhances rhetorical weight. Effective for introductions.
Also Known As
Extended top-line meter Over-length line Initial line stretch Hypermetrical opener Hypermeter
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