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terminal echo

Device
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 repeated sound, word, or phrase occurring at the end of successive lines or stanzas

Detailed Definition
Terminal echo is the repetition of a word, sound, or phrase at the very end of a poem, often echoing an earlier line to create resonance, closure, or haunting emphasis; this device lingers in the reader’s ear, transforming the final moment into a reflective or recursive space that deepens thematic impact.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poem ending with a repeated word from earlier: “Silence. / … / Silence.”; A lyric where the last line echoes a key phrase from stanza one; A verse closing with “home,” after first mentioning it in line three; A poem where the final word mirrors the title.
Additional Notes
Terminal echo repeats a word or phrase at the poem’s end that appeared earlier; it creates resonance—ensure it deepens meaning, not just repeats.
Also Known As
Final echo Closing resonance Terminal repetition Last-line refrain Closing echo closing note Matched suffixes repetitive end-sound
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