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Regular meter

Meter
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 consistent and predictable metrical pattern maintained throughout a poem

Detailed Definition
Regular meter denotes verse that adheres strictly to a consistent metrical pattern without substitutions, variations, or irregularities, producing a smooth, predictable rhythm that supports lyrical clarity and formal discipline.
Example
Example in poetry:
Shakespeare’s blank verse in “Hamlet” maintains regular iambic pentameter throughout; Milton’s “Paradise Lost” uses unrhymed iambic pentameter with consistent regularity; Most of Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey” follows steady iambic pentameter; Alexander Pope’s heroic couplets exhibit strict metrical regularity.
Additional Notes
Regular meter adheres strictly to a metrical pattern without substitutions; prized in neoclassical poetry; deviations are often meaningful rather than accidental.
Also Known As
Even meter Steady meter Unvaried measure Isometric verse
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