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Singular epigram

Form
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 self-contained epigram characterized by its singularity—often witty, pointed, and unrepeated—distinct from series or cycles.

Detailed Definition
A singular epigram is a concise, pointed poem that expresses a single, original thought or observation with wit and precision, distinguished by its uniqueness—either in diction, perspective, or formulation—within the poet’s body of work or the broader literary tradition, making it stand out as an irreplicable verbal artifact.
Example
Example in poetry:
Martial’s epigram: “You ask how old I am? I’m old enough / To know that asking is in bad taste” (singular in tone); Ben Jonson’s “Drink to me only with thine eyes” (stands alone as epigrammatic song); Alexander Pope’s “To err is human; to forgive, divine” (self-contained); Emily Dickinson’s “Hope is the thing with feathers” (functions as a singular epigram)
Additional Notes
A singular epigram is a concise, pointed poem that stands alone in its insight or irony; classical models (Martial, Ben Jonson) emphasize brevity, surprise, and moral or satirical edge.
Also Known As
Unique aphorism one-off epigram singular distich irreplaceable couplet Hapax Epigram
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