Want to hear it?
Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!
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 narrative or lyric voice in a poem, not necessarily the poet.
Explore this topic in depth (3)
How to Read a Poem
— Poetry is not a puzzle with one hidden answer that only experts can decode. Begin by noticing what a poem actually does: read it, hear it, question it, and return to it.
How to Write About a Poem
— Writing about poetry is not a matter of finding hidden answers or naming as many techniques as possible. It is the practice of making a thoughtful claim, supporting it with well-chosen details, and explaining how those details create meaning.
Volta
— A volta is a turn: the moment when a poem changes direction in its thinking, feeling, argument, perspective, tone or imagery. Though closely associated with the sonnet, the volta can occur in almost any poem and at almost any point.
Detailed Definition
The speaker is the narrative voice or persona through whom a poem is articulated, distinct from the poet’s actual self; analyzing the speaker’s tone, perspective, and reliability is crucial to interpreting a poem’s meaning, especially in dramatic monologues or unreliable narration.
Example
Example in poetry:
In “My Last Duchess,” the Duke is the speaker revealing his tyranny; In “We Real Cool,” the pool players speak collectively; In “Citizen,” the second-person “you” implicates reader as speaker/listener; In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” Prufrock’s neurotic monologue defines speaker; Student example: poem where speaker shifts from child to adult in one stanza.
Additional Notes
Speaker: The voice or persona delivering the poem—not necessarily the poet; analyzing the speaker’s perspective, tone, and reliability is key to interpretation.