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Sign

World Religion
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

An event or object regarded as an indication of divine will or a miracle, demonstrating supernatural power or authority.

Detailed Definition
In religion, a sign is a manifestation of the divine in the natural world, such as the miracles performed by Moses or Jesus. It is proof meant to inspire faith and belief. Poets use the concept of signs to explore the interpretation of the world, the search for meaning, and the moments where the transcendent seems to break into ordinary reality. The ability to read "signs" is a poetic and spiritual skill, involving the discernment of deeper patterns and the presence of the sacred in the seemingly mundane.
Example
Example in poetry:
In biblical poetry, Sign confirms covenant: “Rainbow arch—Sign that flood won’t return”; In Sufi verse, Sign is Beloved’s gesture: “Wink across room—Sign that Love sees me”; In contemporary poetry, Sign is omen: “Cardinal at window—Sign from departed mother”; Poets caution Sign interpretation: “Not all feathers—Sign; some are just birds.”
Additional Notes
Signs (ot in Hebrew) authenticate divine messengers (Moses’ staff, Jesus’ healings) or mark covenant (rainbow, circumcision); they are not magic but meaningful gestures; in poetry, signs appear as ordinary events charged with significance—coincidence as grace, wound as calling—inviting readers to perceive the sacred woven into daily fabric.
Also Known As
Omen Symbol Token Ayah
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