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Plain speech

Diction
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

Poetry using straightforward, unadorned language to convey sincerity or accessibility

Detailed Definition
Plain speech in poetry denotes the use of unadorned, conversational, or vernacular language that prioritizes clarity, directness, and authenticity over ornamentation; championed by poets like Wordsworth or Frost, it seeks to capture the rhythms of everyday talk while retaining poetic intensity through precise diction and understated musicality.
Example
Example in poetry:
William Carlos Williams’ “This Is Just To Say,” using everyday diction; Robert Frost’s conversational tone in “Mending Wall”; Frank O’Hara’s “Lunch Poems,” mimicking speech; Modern example: Danez Smith’s direct address in “dear white america”
Additional Notes
Plain speech uses direct, unadorned language to convey authenticity or accessibility; associated with William Carlos Williams and Objectivist poetics.
Also Known As
Colloquial diction Unadorned language Direct speech Common tongue direct language Directness Informal diction
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