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Rhythmic elision

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

Contracting syllables across words to smooth rhythm, common in quantitative poetry.

Detailed Definition
Rhythmic elision merges vowels for fluid scansion, essential in Virgil's hexameters to maintain epic pace. It ensures seamlessness; poets rely on it for classical authenticity, preserving momentum in translations and imitations that evoke ancient grandeur.
Example
Example in poetry:
Rhythmic elision omits a vowel or syllable for meter, as in "The wind’s it blows" (elision); "The stars’ they shine" (rhythmic elision); "The fire’s it burns" (elision); "The bells’ they ring" (rhythmic elision); "The river’s it flows" (elision); "The moon’s it rises" (rhythmic elision).
Additional Notes
Rhythmic elision contracts adjacent syllables across word boundaries (e.g., "th'embark") to preserve meter; common in classical and Renaissance poetry, it maintains flow without violating metrical constraints.
Also Known As
Elision syllabic contraction
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