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Syllabic tercet

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 tercet defined by a fixed number of syllables per line (e.g., 5-7-5), prioritizing count over stress or metrical feet.

Detailed Definition
A syllabic tercet is a three-line stanza in which line length is determined by syllable count rather than stress or rhyme, often following a fixed numerical pattern (e.g., 5-7-5); it emphasizes precision and economy, common in modernist and Eastern-influenced verse.
Example
Example in poetry:
A syllabic tercet appears in Marianne Moore’s “Poetry,” where stanzas follow strict syllable counts per line regardless of stress; in Dylan Thomas’s “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night,” each tercet follows an ABA rhyme but also subtly adheres to syllabic regularity; contemporary poet Kay Ryan often uses tercets with fixed syllable counts (e.g., 3-5-3) to create compact musicality; Japanese-inspired English tanka adaptations sometimes use syllabic tercets as part of five-line forms; Elizabeth Daryush’s “Children of Wealth” employs precise 7-7-7 syllabic tercets to critique class disparity.
Additional Notes
Three-line stanza using syllable count as organizing principle. Flexible form allowing varied patterns. Compare with syllabic verse and haiku traditions.
Also Known As
Syllable-count tercet Equal-syllable triplet Measured three-line Syllabic trio
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