Linguists Rhythm Vocabulary
Poetic meter is built out of repeating units called feet. Each foot is one short pattern of stressed (DUM) and unstressed (ba) syllables. Linguists have given each pattern a name. Here they all are.
- Iamb — two syllables, unstressed then stressed (ba‑DUM). Example: re‑TURN.
- Trochee — two syllables, stressed then unstressed (DUM‑ba). Example: GAR‑den.
- Spondee — two stressed syllables in a row (DUM‑DUM). Example: HEART‑BREAK.
- Pyrrhic — two unstressed syllables in a row (ba‑ba). Rare; usually a transitional gap between stronger feet.
- Anapest — three syllables, two unstressed then one stressed (ba‑ba‑DUM). Example: un‑der‑STAND. The signature foot of the limerick.
- Dactyl — three syllables, one stressed then two unstressed (DUM‑ba‑ba). Example: EL‑e‑phant.
- Amphibrach — three syllables, unstressed‑stressed‑unstressed (ba‑DUM‑ba). Example: a‑NOTH‑er.
- Amphimacer (also called the cretic) — three syllables, stressed‑unstressed‑stressed (DUM‑ba‑DUM). Example: LOVE‑and‑HATE.
- Bacchius — three syllables, one unstressed then two stressed (ba‑DUM‑DUM). Example: some HOT‑DOGS.
- Antibacchius — three syllables, two stressed then one unstressed (DUM‑DUM‑ba). Example: HEAD‑FIRST‑ly.
- Molossus — three stressed syllables in a row (DUM‑DUM‑DUM). Heavy and slow.
- Tribrach — three unstressed syllables in a row (ba‑ba‑ba). Light and quick; used as a filler.
- Feminine ending — a line that ends on an extra unstressed syllable after the last stressed beat. Soft, falling close. (This is the linguistic name for that leftover ba at the end of a line in the coach.)
- Masculine ending — a line that ends on the stressed beat itself, with no trailing unstressed syllable. Firm, falling-shut close.