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Untruncated dimeter

Meter
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 two-foot metrical line that retains all syllables without omission at the beginning or end

Detailed Definition
Untruncated dimeter is a two-beat line that retains its full metrical form without elision or omission, preserving both feet completely; this clarity enhances rhythmic integrity, often used in children’s verse or hymns where simplicity and memorability are prioritized over metrical complexity.
Example
Example in poetry:
Nursery rhyme: “Twinkle, twinkle, little star” (untruncated dimeter: two full iambs); modern example: “The sun shines bright / upon the hill”; another: “She walks to school / with books in hand”; traditional: “Come live with me / and be my love” (Marlowe, first line).
Additional Notes
Untruncated dimeter is a two-beat line that ends on a stressed syllable (masculine ending); it provides a strong, decisive close, common in rhythmic or marching verse.
Also Known As
Full two-beat line Complete dimeter Standard short measure Complete iambic dimeter Untruncated short iambic
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