Home › Glossary › Letter P

Prefatory lines

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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

Introductory lines that establish context, dedicate the work, or frame the thematic concerns of a longer poetic composition.

Detailed Definition
Prefatory lines are introductory verses that frame a longer poem, offering context, dedication, or thematic preview; they function as a threshold, guiding the reader’s interpretation and establishing tone or purpose before the main text begins.
Example
Example in poetry:
Prefatory lines: Opening lines introducing poem’s theme; Shakespeare’s sonnet introductions; Lines setting tone before main subject; Formal poem beginnings
Additional Notes
Prefatory lines: Verses that serve as an introduction, dedication, or inscription (7210) to a longer work or collection; often establish the poem's context or address the reader.
Also Known As
Introductory lines Opening dedication Prefatory verse Dedicatory opening Dedication verse
Skip to main content