Iambic tetrameter question

Discussion in 'The Craft of Writing Poetry' started by OurJud, Jan 25, 2018.

  1. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    I know :rolleyes:

    I edited it now.
     
  2. OJB

    OJB A Mean Old Man Contributor

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    http://www.dictionary.com/browse/april?s=t

    Are FILLing IN with MOSS. A-p(e)r-il WARPS (Iamb/Iamb/Iamb/Trochee/Iamb) April is being pronounced as a 3 syllable word. A-pu-ril

    If you look at the link I gave you it shows the pronunciation [ey-pruh l] 1-2-3, 3 syllables.
     
  3. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    Hold on, I don't get this. You said syllables, not stresses.
    First, I'll argue, even with an online dictionary, that 'April' is NOT three syllables, it's two. Secondly, even if April is 3 syllables, that still only makes 5 in total:
    Filling (2)
    April (3)

    So let's assume I'm not understanding, and that in poetry every stress is counted as a syllable, I still don't get it.

    You say 1-2-3, 3 (making ten syllables)
    But what is the first 3 referring to here?
    Are (1) filling (2) What's the first 3?
     
  4. OJB

    OJB A Mean Old Man Contributor

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    This is the part of Meter that kills people. There are two concepts you have to come to terms with, Elision (the cutting of syllables) and Epenthesis (the adding of Syllables).

    English is pronounced radically different from one region of the world to the next. Meter is based on pronunciation, not spelling. This is the hardest concept for people learning meter to come to terms with.

    -
    Are (1) FILL(2)ing(3) IN(4) with(5) MOSS(6). A(7)-p(e)r(8)-il(9) WARPS(10)
     
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  5. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    :confused:o_O

    But here you're counting even the unstressed words as syllables?? When we talk about a line in poetry having X number of syllables, we're talking about the stressed ones... aren't we?

    Or am I getting stresses and syllables confused??

    (I) WAN-dered LONE-ly AS a CLOUD (4 syllables, not 8)

    And when I argue that April is only two syllables, I am talking about the pronunciation. A-pril.

    I'm twice as confused as I was before I started this thread!
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2018
  6. OJB

    OJB A Mean Old Man Contributor

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    That line has 8 syllables, four stresses.

    No, I am talking about all pronounced syllables.

    I understand, but that is not how that poet is pronouncing it. The poet that wrote that poem is pronouncing it: A-per-il. He is saying it in three syllables, not two. When reading other people's meter you have to consider how they are pronouncing the word.
     
  7. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    Man, I'm definitely sticking to free verse! Life's too short.

    I don't mean that. I'm not going to let a bunch of fucking words beat me!

    i DON'T | mean THAT.| i'm NOT GO|ing to LET | a BUNCH | of WORDS FUCK| ing BEAT me.
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2018
  8. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    Where I'm living now, clouds are not lonely. There are too damn many of them...:)
     
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  9. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    Yeah, it's a bit of a silly opening line in truth. Clouds are almost never lonely.

    Wordsworth, what a wanker.
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2018
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