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pyjamas

Apparel
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

Loose clothing worn for sleeping or lounging; used in modern domestic verse to set casual, nocturnal, or intimate scenes.

Detailed Definition
Pyjamas are sleepwear, usually a matching top and trousers. Lawrence uses the word to show the speaker is dressed casually and unprepared for the heat.
Example
Example in poetry:
“and I in pyjamas for the heat” gives a domestic, modern image; “In striped pyjamas, the child watched moonlight cross the floor” places the garment in a lyric scene; “Her pyjamas smelled faintly of soap and summer” uses sensory detail; “The speaker in pyjamas at noon unsettles the formal room” shows how everyday apparel can shape tone
Additional Notes
The evidence "and I in pyjamas for the heat" contains a British spelling that some readers may pause over, especially outside common U.S. usage.; Found in the poem, Snake by D. H. Lawrence
Also Known As
sleepwear nightclothes slumber garments bedtime attire
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