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Zaum

Movement
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

Russian Futurist “transrational” language poetry that rejects logic for pure sound and neologism

Detailed Definition
Zaum is a Russian Futurist neologism meaning “beyonsense” or “transrational” language; in poetry, it rejects conventional syntax and semantics in favor of phonetic experimentation, invented words, and sound-based meaning to access primal or spiritual dimensions beyond logic.
Example
Example in poetry:
Russian Futurist nonsense verse: “Gobbledegook zinziver zazubka!”; zaum rejects logic for pure sound; Kruchenykh’s “Dyr bul shchyl” as iconic example; language stripped to phonetic essence; anti-meaning as revolutionary act.
Additional Notes
Russian Futurist concept of transrational or beyonsense language. Early 20th century avant-garde. Related to sound poetry. Emphasizes phonetic over semantic meaning. Study Khlebnikov and Russian Futurism.
Also Known As
transrational poetry beyonsense
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