Diphthong: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Terms In Dactylic Hexameter.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=Diagram.|Selected terms relating to the dactylic hexameter.]] | [[Image:Terms In Dactylic Hexameter.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=Diagram.|Selected terms relating to the dactylic hexameter.]] | ||
'''Diphthong''' (dactylic hexameter) is a [[Greek (language)|Greek]] term meaning "double sound". | '''Diphthong''' (dactylic hexameter) is a [[Greek (language)|Greek]] term meaning "double sound". A diphthong occurs when a pair of vowels (such as the -ae- in nautae) are pronounced as a single syllable. In English, an example of this is the sound -ea- in the word "beat". In words of more than one [[syllable]], diphthongs occur nearly always in open (stressed) syllables. | ||
In [[historical linguistics]], the phenomenon that a [[monophthong]] gradually evolves into a diphthong is called [[diphthongization]] or vowel breaking. | |||
Diphthongs were used in [[epic]] [[poetry]] in the [[dactylic hexameter]] which is also known as "heroic hexameter" is a form of [[meter (poetry)|meter]] in [[poetry]] or a rhythmic scheme. It is traditionally associated with classical [[epic]] [[poetry]] in both [[Greek language|Greek]] and [[Latin (language)|Latin]] and was considered to be ''the'' Grand Style of [[Classics|classical]] poetry. It is used in [[Homer]]'s ''[[Iliad]]'' and ''[[Odyssey]]'' and [[Virgil]]'s ''[[Aeneid]]''. | |||
==See also== | |||
[[Triphthong]] | |||
==Further information== | ==Further information== | ||
* See hexametrica [http://www.skidmore.edu/academics/classics/courses/metrica/glossary.html Glossary of terms relating to dactylic hexameter] | * See hexametrica [http://www.skidmore.edu/academics/classics/courses/metrica/glossary.html Glossary of terms relating to dactylic hexameter] | ||
Revision as of 14:59, 19 August 2010
Diphthong (dactylic hexameter) is a Greek term meaning "double sound". A diphthong occurs when a pair of vowels (such as the -ae- in nautae) are pronounced as a single syllable. In English, an example of this is the sound -ea- in the word "beat". In words of more than one syllable, diphthongs occur nearly always in open (stressed) syllables.
In historical linguistics, the phenomenon that a monophthong gradually evolves into a diphthong is called diphthongization or vowel breaking.
Diphthongs were used in epic poetry in the dactylic hexameter which is also known as "heroic hexameter" is a form of meter in poetry or a rhythmic scheme. It is traditionally associated with classical epic poetry in both Greek and Latin and was considered to be the Grand Style of classical poetry. It is used in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey and Virgil's Aeneid.
See also
Further information
- See hexametrica Glossary of terms relating to dactylic hexameter