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sage

Historical Office
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 wise elder or philosopher, often consulted for counsel or moral insight

Detailed Definition
The sage appears in poetry as an archetype of wisdom, reflection, and ethical clarity. Historically revered in Eastern and Western traditions, sages offered perspective beyond temporal concerns. In verse, they symbolize truth, detachment, and the pursuit of understanding. Poets use sages to explore themes of knowledge versus action, the value of contemplation, and the human longing for guidance in times of uncertainty or moral confusion.
Example
Example in poetry:
In didactic poetry, the sage offers counsel beneath an ancient olive tree; Eastern poetic traditions, like those of Li Bai, portray the sage as one who harmonizes with nature; The sage’s silence speaks louder than kings’ decrees in allegorical verse; Poets contrast the sage’s wisdom with the courtier’s flattery; In mystical poetry, the sage perceives truths hidden from ordinary eyes; Modern verse uses “sage” to critique modernity’s loss of contemplative depth.
Additional Notes
Sages were not formal officeholders but respected elders or philosophers whose counsel shaped communities; in historical contexts, they might advise kings or mediate disputes—poetic sages embody wisdom, reflection, or moral clarity; distinguishing them from clerics or scholars clarifies their role as intuitive rather than institutional authorities in allegorical or didactic verse.
Other Meanings of “sage”
Also Known As
wise man philosopher sage scholar The Teacher The Wise Man Rishi Salvia druid wise
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