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Recitation art

Device
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

The artful oral performance of memorized poetry, emphasizing vocal nuance, pacing, and expressive delivery to convey meaning and emotion.

Detailed Definition
The skilled practice of reciting poetry from memory, emphasizing vocal delivery, clear enunciation, rhythmic emphasis, and expressive interpretation. Recitation art has classical roots in oral traditions and formal elocution, continuing through school poetry recitations and contemporary poetry slams. This practice treats poetry as performance art, where memory, vocal technique, and interpretive choices shape meaning. Recitation emphasizes differences between silent reading and oral performance.
Example
Example in poetry:
Recitation art appears in Homer’s oral epics, designed for mnemonic performance; In Anglo-Saxon scops reciting “Beowulf”; In Langston Hughes’ jazz poetry readings; In contemporary slam poets like Sarah Kay and Rudy Francisco; In Indigenous oral poets like Joy Harjo, whose performances embody cultural memory.
Additional Notes
Performance art requiring memorization and delivery skill. Historical practice from ancient Greece through modern poetry slams. Consider oral versus written poetry.
Also Known As
Verse speaking Oral delivery Memory performance Elocution art Elocution
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