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Reverse spelling

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 use of words spelled backward to create play or hidden meaning.

Detailed Definition
Reverse spelling is a poetic technique where words are spelled backward to create visual or phonetic effects, sometimes forming new words or palindromes; while often playful or experimental, it can also symbolize inversion, hidden meanings, or linguistic subversion, as seen in concrete poetry or avant-garde works that challenge conventional orthography.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poem where the end of a line, or a key word, is the reverse spelling of a word earlier in the line; for example: "Where the star did rats reside." (Ignoring the spacing change, 'star' and 'rats' are reversed spellings).; A stanza that features a word followed by its reverse spelling in the next line: "I came to stop / And pots of gold." (A form of semordnilap); The use of a word that is a common semordnilap, like "live," to be followed by a word like "evil" for an ominous effect.; A conceit where the speaker, in describing a simple object like a cup, sees its inscription and notes: "Pots full of brew; / All of it I stop."
Additional Notes
Reverse spelling is an infrequent poetic device where a word is spelled backward; useful for creating anagrammatic effects, wordplay, or a sense of reversal/mystery.
Also Known As
Backward spelling inverse orthography retrograde spelling Anadrome Anadromê
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