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Sparrow

Birds
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 humble, ubiquitous bird symbolizing simplicity, community, and divine care.

Detailed Definition
The sparrow’s ordinariness is its poetic strength—Jesus noted that not one falls without God’s notice, making it a symbol of humble worth. In verse, it represents the overlooked masses, domestic life, or the beauty of the common. Poets use sparrows to affirm the dignity of small things, the interconnectedness of life, or the quiet joy found in unassuming corners of the world.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Matthew 10:29, Jesus notes that not one sparrow falls without God’s notice, making it a symbol of humble worth; Poets use sparrows to represent the overlooked masses or domestic simplicity; In urban verse, sparrows nesting in eaves symbolize adaptation and community; The sparrow’s flocking behavior becomes a metaphor for collective resilience; Its plain plumage contrasts with showy birds, highlighting the dignity of the ordinary.
Additional Notes
The sparrow—humble, ubiquitous, and social—symbolizes the overlooked, divine care (“not one falls unnoticed”), and community resilience. Jesus’s reference cemented its role as an emblem of humble worth. Related concepts: “common bird,” “flock solidarity,” “domestic witness.” Ideal for celebrating the ordinary or critiquing societal neglect.
Also Known As
House Sparrow Passer domesticus English Sparrow Tree Sparrow
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