The Rhythms of English PoetryExamines the way in which poetry in English makes use of rhythm. The author argues that there are three major influences which determine the verse-forms used in any language: the natural rhythm of the spoken language itself; the properties of rhythmic form; and the metrical conventions which have grown up within the literary tradition. He investigates these in order to explain the forms of English verse, and to show how rhythm and metre work as an essential part of the reader's experience of poetry. |
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Page xiv
... phonetic analysis of the English language, or even any vocabulary with which to begin such an analysis, those undertaking the task naturally fell back on the only metrical terminology they possessed – that of classical prosody – and ...
... phonetic analysis of the English language, or even any vocabulary with which to begin such an analysis, those undertaking the task naturally fell back on the only metrical terminology they possessed – that of classical prosody – and ...
Page xxiii
... based , and by implying phonetic equivalences which are no more than theoretical . The classical approach tends to conceive of metre as a visual and spatial phenomenon rather than a dynamic one ; it is satisfied if it can.
... based , and by implying phonetic equivalences which are no more than theoretical . The classical approach tends to conceive of metre as a visual and spatial phenomenon rather than a dynamic one ; it is satisfied if it can.
Page xxx
... phonetic theory and the insights it promises obscured by too rigid an adherence to the musical analogy . Fundamental to this branch of the temporal tradition is the linguistic phenomenon known as isochrony or stress - timing : the ...
... phonetic theory and the insights it promises obscured by too rigid an adherence to the musical analogy . Fundamental to this branch of the temporal tradition is the linguistic phenomenon known as isochrony or stress - timing : the ...
Page xxxvii
... phonetic transcription cannot fully represent, it is interpreted by someone who knows the language as a sequence of familiar units of sound, selected from the small stock which that language makes use of. These units are the phonemes of ...
... phonetic transcription cannot fully represent, it is interpreted by someone who knows the language as a sequence of familiar units of sound, selected from the small stock which that language makes use of. These units are the phonemes of ...
Page xxxviii
... phonetic description , since they are irrelevant to the comprehension of English . Moreover , two speakers of English may have very different modes of speech , owing to differences in age , sex , physical endowments , regional and class ...
... phonetic description , since they are irrelevant to the comprehension of English . Moreover , two speakers of English may have very different modes of speech , owing to differences in age , sex , physical endowments , regional and class ...
Contents
THE RHYTHMS OF ENGLISH SPEECH | 8 |
THE FOURBEAT RHYTHM | 25 |
THE FIVEBEAT RHYTHM | |
WHAT IS A METRICAL RULE? | |
THE FUNCTIONS OF POETIC RHYTHM | |
SOME EXAMPLES | |
RULES AND SCANSION | |
Bibliography | |
Sources of examples | |
Index | |
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Common terms and phrases
accentual-syllabic verse alternation anapaestic chapter common metre complex create David Abercrombie demotion deviation dipodic rhythm discussion distinction double offbeat duple metre duple verse duration emphasis English metre English speech English verse example falling rhythm five-beat line five-beat rhythm four-beat line four-beat rhythm four-beat verse function iambic pentameter implied offbeat initial inversion initial offbeat language line-end linguistic metrical form metrical pattern metrical rules metrical set metrical structure metrical style metrical theory movement nonstresses nursery rhymes occur offbeat condition organisation pause perceived perception phonetic phonological phrase poem poetic poetry poets pronunciation prosody reader reading realised rhythmic form rhythmic structure rhythmic unit rising rhythm scansion semantic sense sequence single offbeat sounds speech rhythms stanza stress contour stress pattern stress-final pairing stress-timing stressed and unstressed strong syllable count syntactic break syntax tendency tension triple metre triple rhythm triple verse trochaic trochee underlying rhythm unrealised beat unstressed syllables variation words