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Tariff

Economics
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 government tax levied on imported or exported goods; referenced in political or economic verse to denote trade barriers or state power.

Detailed Definition
A tariff is a government charge on imports, often intended to raise revenue or protect domestic producers from foreign competition. In poetry, the term can give shape to borders and the costs of crossing them. It may become a metaphor for barriers between languages, classes, nations, or families, where entry is possible only through payment, permission, translation, or the loss of something carried from home.
Example
Example in poetry:
A harbor poem can show a tariff raising the price of imported tea, cloth, or steel; In a historical ballad, a tariff can become the cause of argument between merchants, farmers, and lawmakers; A poet may use a tariff metaphorically as the emotional cost charged before a guarded speaker allows intimacy; A poem about borders can contrast goods crossing easily after a tariff change with people who remain restricted
Additional Notes
A tariff is a tax on imports, often intended to protect domestic producers or raise revenue. It can increase consumer prices and affect trade relationships between countries.
Also Known As
Customs Duty Import Duty
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