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taper

Craft Terms
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

Taper means to become gradually narrower or thinner; in poetry, it can suggest a controlled narrowing of form, intensity, or movement.

Detailed Definition
In literal craft, taper describes a shape that decreases steadily in width. In poetry, it may be used for images, lines, or emotional arcs that narrow toward an ending or point. It belongs in craft language because it gives a precise sense of formed reduction.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poet may describe a candle tapering to its end as metaphor for a life nearing its close; Tapered fingers in classical poetry often symbolize elegance or aristocratic beauty; A poem about diminishing hope might use a tapering flame as its central image; Architectural spires tapering skyward can symbolize aspiration or reaching toward the divine; A poet describing a river narrowing might use tapering to evoke gradual constriction or focus; A sonnet's tapering final lines can mirror the winding-down of its emotional argument.
Additional Notes
Taper describes gradual narrowing, often used to discuss the controlled diminishment of intensity, form, or life itself within a poem; instructors might explore how tapering imagery, such as a candle burning down or a river narrowing, provides a visual and temporal metaphor for endings that are gradual rather than abrupt, making it a useful term for discussing elegies and poems about aging or diminishing hope.
Also Known As
narrow taper off point reduce Candle caun'le
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