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Sprung catalectic

Meter
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 sprung rhythm verse line in which the final stressed syllable is omitted, creating a characteristic clipped, driving energy; derived from Gerard Manley Hopkins's metrical innovations and used to intensify emotional immediacy.

Detailed Definition
Sprung catalectic shortens extra stresses, for intense brevity. It bursts sharply; in modern lyrics, it captures ecstasy's edge, innovating faith.
Example
Example in poetry:
Sprung catalectic truncates the final foot in sprung rhythm, as in "With a sound like thunder, sharp and quick—" (incomplete final foot); "And the lights go up in the sky, so high—" (catalectic sprung); "He strikes the board, and cries, 'No more!'" (truncated exclamation); "Out flew the web and floated wide—" (sprung catalectic); "And every stone brings forth its seed—" (unfinished foot); "Then comes the calm, the hush, the rest—" (sprung catalectic closure).
Additional Notes
Sprung catalectic refers to a truncated line in sprung rhythm—a meter developed by Gerard Manley Hopkins based on stress rather than syllable count—where the expected strong beat pattern is cut short; this clipping intensifies the percussive effect and heightens emotional urgency, aligning with Hopkins’ expressive intensity.
Also Known As
Truncated sprung rhythm clipped sprung meter
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