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Short-short-long

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

The metrical pattern of an anapestic foot: two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed one (ᴗ ᴗ –), driving rhythmic momentum.

Detailed Definition
Short-short-long describes a metrical foot known as an anapest, consisting of two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable; widely used in English poetry for its galloping, forward-moving rhythm, it appears in works by Byron, Shelley, and Dr. Seuss, lending energy, momentum, and a sense of urgency or playfulness.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Quick step, quick step, long stride ahead”; “Light foot, light foot, heavy heart below”; “Soft beat, soft beat, thunder rolls afar”; “Small hop, small hop, giant leap beyond”; “Fast pace, fast pace, slow turn of fate”
Additional Notes
This is the metrical foot known as the Anapest (∪∪-), consisting of two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable; it's the opposite of the Dactyl (-∪∪) and gives a feeling of quickening or driving forward, as in "on the road" or "un der stand."
Also Known As
Spondee-like short-short-long clipped anapest brief pattern Anapestic Anapest
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