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'potamus

Archaic 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

A colloquial abbreviation for 'hippopotamus', used in a playful or informal context.

Detailed Definition
The term 'ʼpotamus' is an informal, abbreviated form of 'hippopotamus', reflecting a playful tone in the poem. This usage adds a whimsical quality to the depiction of the hippopotamus, contrasting its large and cumbersome nature with the lightness of the term. It exemplifies Eliot's blend of humor and seriousness in addressing themes of spirituality and materialism.
Example
Example in poetry:
I saw the ʼpotamus take wing hippopotamus; enhanced: "ʼpotamus take wing absurd flight"; Carroll nonsense: "Potamus"; contemporary: "ʼpotamus surreal"; educational: "ʼpotamus abbreviated in humorous verse"; "Winged ʼpotamus defies."
Additional Notes
The term 'ʼpotamus' appears in the line, "The 'potamus can never reach," showcasing Eliot's playful use of language.; Found in the poem, The Hippopotamus by T. S. Eliot
Also Known As
hippopotamus river horse behemoth aquatic giant
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