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Split voice

Device
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 technique where the narration is split between two distinct voices.

Detailed Definition
Split voice refers to a poetic persona that expresses conflicting thoughts, identities, or tones within a single utterance, often through abrupt shifts in diction, register, or perspective; this technique dramatizes inner division, cultural hybridity, or the instability of the speaking self.
Example
Example in poetry:
Multiple speakers or perspectives: Dramatic monologue with implied listener; "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" blending inner/outer voices; Polyphonic poetry like Eliot’s "The Waste Land"; Dialogue poems with shifting "I"
Additional Notes
Split voice is a narrative technique where the poem's speaker presents multiple distinct perspectives or internal dialogues, often shifting abruptly between them to convey internal conflict, complexity, or a fractured sense of self.
Also Known As
Divided voice polyvocality split poetic voice Bifurcated voice
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