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Paeonic

Foot
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 classical foot of four syllables with one long and three shorts, in varying positions

Detailed Definition
Paeonic feet consist of one long and three short syllables, with the long syllable in first (1st paeon), second (2nd), third (3rd), or fourth (4th) position; though rare in English, they appear in classical lyric poetry and occasionally in English experimental verse to mimic Greek rhythmic complexity or introduce syncopated, dance-like cadences.
Example
Example in poetry:
Paeonic meter uses feet of four syllables with one long and three shorts; The first paeon (– u u u) appears in Greek drama for solemn entrances; The second paeon (u – u u) occurs in Pindar’s odes for rhythmic variation; English poets rarely use pure paeons, but Hopkins’ “The Windhover” approximates them: “I caught this morning morning’s minion”; Paeonic rhythms mimic natural speech cadences; They were favored in ancient hymns for their fluidity.
Additional Notes
Paeonic: A class of four-syllable feet with one long and three short syllables, categorized by the position of the long syllable (first, second, third, or fourth paeon); used in Greek drama and lyric for rhythmic variety; students should note its expressive potential in shifting emphasis.
Also Known As
Paeon
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