Home › Glossary › Letter V

vocal phrase

Phrase
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

An expression emphasizing the spoken or sung quality of poetic language

Detailed Definition
Vocal phrases foreground breath, pitch, and oral delivery, using enjambment and sonic texture; they remind that poetry begins in voice, whether in performance, prayer, or intimate address to the ear.
Example
Example in poetry:
Vocal phrase: The cry that shook the rafters; the whisper that pierced the silence; the laugh that rang like bells; the vocal phrase is the body’s poetry made audible.
Additional Notes
Vocal phrases emphasize spoken or sung quality: “The cry that shook the rafters”; they foreground voice as instrument, not just content; use rhythm, repetition, and oral texture; avoid abstraction—make the voice felt; related to voice phrase, breath phrase, and vocal tone; ideal for performance poetry, oral traditions, and lyrical song.
Also Known As
spoken phrase sung line vocal utterance
Skip to main content