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Swung dash

Notation
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 wavy dash (~) used in dictionaries or to indicate approximation, occasionally in visual poetry.

Detailed Definition
The swung dash suggests approximation or variation; in poetry, it may evoke fluidity, uncertainty, or musical tremolo, adding a gestural quality to typographical expression.
Example
Example in poetry:
Swung dashes (⁓) appear in dictionary-style poetry; In lexicographical verse, “love⁓passion”; Some poets use swung dashes for equivalence; In experimental typography, swung dashes create waves; Though rare, swung dashes appear in avant-garde works; In visual poetry, swung dashes suggest fluidity.
Additional Notes
Swung dash: The swung dash (⁓) is a wavy dash used in dictionaries for repeated words; in poetry, it’s extremely rare but may serve as a decorative or rhythmic variant of the em dash—primarily of interest in typographic history rather than active poetic practice.
Also Known As
tilde dash approximation dash
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