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Per pale

Heraldic Terms
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

In heraldry, a shield divided vertically into two equal halves, each potentially bearing different tinctures or charges.

Detailed Definition
Per pale division often signifies duality or partnership. In poetry, it highlights opposing forces, balance, or union within thematic contrasts.
Example
Example in poetry:
Per pale, the shield split vertically, joining two lineages in marriage or war; “Per pale, my soul,” the confessional verse admitted dual loyalties; The poet described the sunset as per pale—day and night in equal measure; In impaled arms, per pale declared union without fusion; Per pale gules and argent became a visual sonnet of passion and purity.
Additional Notes
Per pale means the shield is divided vertically into two equal halves; it is the standard method for impaling marital arms (husband dexter, wife sinister); in poetry, per pale suggests partnership, duality, or contested identity; it is the most common line of partition and foundational to understanding quartering and cadency.
Also Known As
Vertically divided
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