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Weathering

Geology
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

The breakdown of rock at Earth’s surface by physical, chemical, or biological processes. It can convey aging, exposure, and change.

Detailed Definition
Weathering is the physical and chemical breakdown of rock through water, temperature shifts, roots, salt, air, and living organisms. Unlike erosion, it works mainly where the rock lies, altering surfaces before fragments are carried elsewhere. Poets can use weathering to describe the marks that time leaves on faces, walls, language, and belief. It is not always violent; frost, rain, and lichen slowly revise even the hardest material, making weathering an image of persistent contact with the world.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Weathering softened the gravestone until the name became a blur,” shows how wind, water, and time alter rock; A poet might write, “Weathering taught the cliff to speak in cracks,” personifying gradual erosion and decay; “Salt weathered the harbor stones white” provides a specific coastal image; In a poem about endurance, “Even granite yields to weathering” reminds readers that apparent permanence is temporary; “Years of weathering turned the statue’s face toward anonymity” connects geological processes with memory and mortality
Additional Notes
Weathering breaks down rock in place through water, temperature changes, chemicals, plants, and organisms; erosion then transports the material away. Use weathering for gradual change, while erosion better emphasizes removal or travel.
Also Known As
Rock Decomposition Patina
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