Home › Glossary › Letter '

'T

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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 contraction of 'it is', often used in poetry for rhythm and brevity.

Detailed Definition
'T is a contraction of 'it is', frequently found in older poetry to maintain meter and rhyme. This form adds a lyrical quality to the text, allowing poets to express ideas succinctly while adhering to the constraints of poetic structure. In this poem, it introduces the idea that a poet's thought is a blend of natural elements, enhancing the thematic depth.
Example
Example in poetry:
"'T is a thing of sky and earth, Gathering all its golden worth From the Poet's heart" (contraction of 'it'); "'T was the night before Christmas" (familiar poetic opening); "'T is the last rose of summer" (Thomas Moore); "'T is better to have loved and lost" (Tennyson adaptation); "'T is magic, magic that hath ravished me" (Spenserian echo)
Additional Notes
The contraction 'T' is used to introduce the notion that a poet's thought encompasses both the sky and earth, contributing to the poem's exploration of inspiration.; Found in the poem, A Poet's Thought by Barry Cornwall
Also Known As
it contraction 'tis poetic that 'T archaic it
Skip to main content