voiced aspiration

Sound
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

A phonetic breathy quality voiced during articulation in poetry reading or notation

Detailed Definition
Voiced aspiration denotes the breathy, audible release of air accompanying certain consonants or vowels in poetic recitation, adding expressive texture; while often a phonetic detail, poets may exploit this quality to convey vulnerability, urgency, or spiritual yearning through vocal nuance.
Example
Example in poetry:
Voiced “h” sounds in “heave” or “hover” creating breathy emphasis; Aspirated consonants adding emotional texture: “Whispering winds with heavy breath”; The voiced “th” in “breathe” versus unvoiced in “breath”; Soft aspiration in “ah” or “oh” conveying sigh or relief
Additional Notes
Voiced aspiration: The act of beginning a word with an audible h sound, often related to the analysis of alliteration or breath-related effects in a poem's sound texture.
Also Known As
Aspirated sound Voiced breath Sound aspiration Aspiration
Skip to main content