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Stylistic flourish

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

An ornamental or expressive literary technique used to enhance poetic style

Detailed Definition
Stylistic flourish denotes an ornamental or virtuosic element in poetic diction, syntax, or imagery—such as an extended metaphor, elaborate alliteration, or syntactic inversion—employed to showcase artistry or heighten effect; while enhancing aesthetic pleasure, excessive flourish may risk obscuring meaning or appearing mannered.
Example
Example in poetry:
Shakespeare’s elaborate metaphors in Sonnet 18; John Donne’s extended conceit in “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”; Hart Crane’s ornate diction in “The Bridge”; Modern example: Jorie Graham’s syntactic complexity in “Overlord”
Additional Notes
Stylistic flourish denotes ornamental language, rhetorical excess, or virtuosic technique used for emphasis or aesthetic effect.
Also Known As
Ornamental touch Rhetorical garnish Poetic ornament Verbal embroidery Decorative addition decorative technique Embellishment Ornamental flourishing Poetic ornamentation Ornamental device
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