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Syncope

Sound
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

The contraction of a word by removing a syllable or sound from the middle, often to maintain meter

Detailed Definition
Syncope is the omission of one or more internal sounds or letters from a word, typically to fit metrical requirements or achieve euphony (e.g., “ne’er” for “never,” “ev’ry” for “every”); common in 18th- and 19th-century English poetry, syncope allows poets to maintain rhythmic regularity while preserving intelligibility, though its archaic flavor often signals stylized or elevated diction in contemporary usage.
Example
Example in poetry:
Syncope: omission of letters/syllables for meter—“ne’er” for “never,” “o’er” for “over”; In “The Raven,” “’Tis some visitor entreating entrance” uses syncope for rhythm; Contemporary poets rarely use it, but hip-hop employs contractions similarly; Syncope maintains meter while compressing sound; It’s a hallmark of formal verse.
Additional Notes
Omission of sounds/letters from word's middle (e.g., "ne'er" for "never"). Common in poetry for meter or effect. Distinguish from apocope (end) and aphesis (beginning).
Also Known As
Middle omission Internal elision Sound loss Medial deletion Elision sound omission Syllable omission Swoon
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