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random pause

Sound
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

An unpredictable halt in rhythm, giving a disordered effect to verse.

Detailed Definition
A random pause is an intentional or seemingly spontaneous break in rhythm or syntax that disrupts expected metrical flow to create emphasis, tension, or ambiguity; often marked by punctuation, line breaks, or caesurae, it mimics natural speech patterns or psychological hesitation, inviting the reader to linger on a moment of uncertainty or revelation.
Example
Example in poetry:
A line break or internal pause (caesura) that seems to occur arbitrarily, breaking the expected flow of thought or syntax; "The bird sang, / then — a sudden silence."; A comma or dash inserted at an unusual point in the line, disrupting the regular rhythm or sentence structure; A long dash or ellipses that interrupts the speech mid-sentence, suggesting a loss for words or an unscripted moment of thought
Additional Notes
A pause or break (caesura or enjambment) in the reading or recitation of a poem that is not dictated by punctuation, meter, or stanza structure, but by the reader's impulse or performance choice.
Also Known As
Chance pause accidental break random hesitation
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