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Pentecost

Biblical
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

The event when the Holy Spirit descends and many languages become mutually understood.

Detailed Definition
Pentecost recounts the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus' followers, accompanied by wind, fire, and speech understood across linguistic boundaries. Poets draw on it to imagine sudden collective illumination, the holiness of many voices, and translation as a form of grace. The event does not erase difference; it makes difference communicable. Pentecost can therefore symbolize political solidarity, artistic breakthrough, or the moment when a divided community discovers that its varied tongues can carry one shared astonishment.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poem may use Pentecost’s wind and flame to symbolize sudden inspiration; Pentecost can represent many languages becoming one through poetry; A poet may describe red flowers or tongues of fire as images of spiritual awakening; An allusion to Pentecost can mark the moment when a silent speaker finally finds a voice
Additional Notes
Pentecost occurs after Jesus' resurrection and is associated with the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples in Acts 2. The speaking and hearing of many languages emphasizes universal proclamation and reverses the division suggested by Babel. In poetry, Pentecost can symbolize inspiration, spiritual fire, unity, and renewed speech.
Other Meanings of “Pentecost”
Also Known As
Feast of Weeks Shavuot Whit Sunday Whitsun
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