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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 object, person, or action that represents a broader abstract idea, concept, or emotion beyond its literal meaning.

Explore this topic in depth (1)

Gothic Poetry — Gothic poetry turns shadows, ruins, storms and supernatural suggestion into ways of exploring human fear, longing, guilt and uncertainty. More than a collection of frightening images, it is a flexible tradition concerned with what reason cannot comfortably explain.

Detailed Definition
A symbol in poetry is an object, image, or action that represents a broader idea, concept, or emotion beyond its literal meaning, functioning through cultural, contextual, or personal associations; symbols deepen thematic resonance—such as the raven symbolizing death in Poe’s poem—and invite interpretive layers that enrich the reader’s engagement.
Example
Example in poetry:
Symbol: The raven in Poe’s poem symbolizes mournful remembrance; Blake’s “Tyger” symbolizes divine terror; Modern symbols: smartphones as isolation icons; Symbols accrue meaning through cultural and textual context
Additional Notes
Symbol: An object, person, or image that represents a larger idea or concept (e.g., dove = peace); differs from metaphor by recurring and accumulating cultural or contextual meaning.
Also Known As
Emblematic image Representative sign Figurative token Symbolic object Emblem Sign
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