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An '''amphibrach''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|æ|m|f|ɪ|b|r|æ|k}})<ref>{{cite EPD|18}}</ref> is a [[metrical foot]] used in [[Latin language|Latin]] and [[Greek language|Greek]] [[prosody (poetry)|prosody]]. It consists of a [[long syllable]] between two [[short syllable]]s.<ref>[[Quintilian]], ''[[Institutio Oratoria]]'' 9.4.81.</ref> The word comes from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ἀμφίβραχυς, ''amphíbrakhys'', "short on both sides".
An '''amphibrach''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|æ|m|f|ɪ|b|r|æ|k}})<ref>{{cite EPD|18}}</ref> is a [[metrical foot]] used in [[Latin language|Latin]] and [[Greek language|Greek]] [[prosody (poetry)|prosody]]. It consists of a [[long syllable]] between two [[short syllable]]s.<ref>[[Quintilian]], ''[[Institutio Oratoria]]'' 9.4.81.</ref> The word comes from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ἀμφίβραχυς, ''amphíbrakhys'', "short on both sides".


== Usage ==

=== English ===
In English accentual-syllabic poetry, an amphibrach is a stressed syllable surrounded by two unstressed syllables. It is rarely used as the overall meter of a poem, usually appearing only in a small amount of humorous poetry, children's poetry, and experimental poems. The individual amphibrachic foot often appears as a variant within, for instance, [[anapaest]]ic meter.
In English accentual-syllabic poetry, an amphibrach is a stressed syllable surrounded by two unstressed syllables. It is rarely used as the overall meter of a poem, usually appearing only in a small amount of humorous poetry, children's poetry, and experimental poems. The individual amphibrachic foot often appears as a variant within, for instance, [[anapaest]]ic meter.


It is the main foot used in the construction of the [[limerick (poetry)|limerick]], as in "There '''once''' was / a '''girl''' from / Nan'''tuc'''ket." It was also used by the Victorians for narrative poetry, e.g. Samuel Woodworth's "The Old Oaken Bucket" beginning "How '''dear''' to / my '''heart''' are / the '''scenes''' of / my '''child'''hood."<ref>Finch, Annie. A Poet's Craft. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2012, p. 407</ref> [[W. H. Auden]]'s poem "O where are you going" (1931) is a more recent and slightly less metrically-regular example. The amphibrach is also often used in ballads and light verse, such as the hypermetrical lines of [[Sir John Betjeman]]'s poem "Meditation on the A30" (1966).
It is the main foot used in the construction of the [[limerick (poetry)|limerick]], as in "There '''once''' was / a '''girl''' from / Nan'''tuc'''ket." It was also used by the Victorians for narrative poetry, e.g. [[Samuel Woodworth]]'s poem "The Old Oaken Bucket" (1817) beginning "How '''dear''' to / my '''heart''' are / the '''scenes''' of / my '''child'''hood."<ref>Finch, Annie. A Poet's Craft. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2012, p. 407</ref> [[W. H. Auden]]'s poem "O where are you going?" (1931) is a more recent and slightly less metrically-regular example. The amphibrach is also often used in ballads and light verse, such as the hypermetrical lines of [[Sir John Betjeman]]'s poem "Meditation on the A30" (1966).


=== Russian ===
Amphibrachs are a staple meter of Russian poetry. A common variation in an amphibrachic line, in both Russian and English, is to end the line with an iamb, as Thomas Hardy does in "The Ruined Maid": "Oh '''did''' n't / you '''know''' I'd / been '''ru''' in'd / said '''she'''".<ref>Finch, Annie, A Poet's Craft. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2012, p. 406</ref>
Amphibrachs are a staple meter of Russian poetry. A common variation in an amphibrachic line, in both Russian and English, is to end the line with an [[Iamb (poetry)|iamb]], as [[Thomas Hardy]] does in "[[The Ruined Maid]]" (1901): "Oh '''did''' n't / you '''know''' I'd / been '''ru''' in'd / said '''she'''".<ref>Finch, Annie, A Poet's Craft. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2012, p. 406</ref>


=== Polish ===
⚫
Amphibrachic metre is very popular in Polish literature. It can be found in romantic poetry in some works by [[Adam Mickiewicz]] and [[Juliusz Słowacki]]. The best known example is "Deszcz jesienny" (English: "Autumn rain"; 1908) by [[Leopold Staff]]. The amphibrach is believed to be suitable for lullabies. Usually Polish amphibrachic lines have [[Masculine and feminine endings|feminine endings]] (for example the [[tetrametre]] ◡'''–'''◡◡'''–'''◡◡'''–'''◡◡'''–'''◡) but some poets experiment with masculine lines as well. In the poem "Walc" (English: "Waltz") from [[Czesław Miłosz]]'s 1945 collection ''[[Ocalenie]]'' the first line is feminine, ◡'''–'''◡◡'''–'''◡◡'''–'''◡◡'''–'''◡, the second masculine, ◡'''–'''◡◡'''–'''◡◡'''–'''◡◡'''–''', and so on.<ref>Wiktor J. Darasz, Amfibrach, Język polski 1-2/1999, p. 106.</ref> [[Jan Bolesław Ożóg]] experimented with irregular amphibrachic verse with different numbers of feet in successive lines. An example of this way of making verse is the poem ''Jemioła'' (''Mistletoe''), included in the book with the same title (1966).<ref>Wiktor J. Darasz, Amfibrach, opus citatum.</ref>

== Examples ==

=== Dr. Suess ===
Some books by [[Dr. Seuss]] contain many lines written in amphibrachs, such as these from ''[[If I Ran the Circus]]'' (1956):
Some books by [[Dr. Seuss]] contain many lines written in amphibrachs, such as these from ''[[If I Ran the Circus]]'' (1956):


Line 19: Line 29:
:No '''for'''mer / per'''for'''mer's / per'''formed''' this / per'''for'''mance!
:No '''for'''mer / per'''for'''mer's / per'''formed''' this / per'''for'''mance!


Much of [[Leonard Cohen]]'s song "[[Famous Blue Raincoat]]" (1971)
=== Famous Blue Raincoat ===
<ref>[http://www.leonardcohen.com/music.cgi?album_id=20&song_id=6 Leonard Cohen's official website] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405065354/http://www.leonardcohen.com/music.cgi?album_id=20&song_id=6 |date=April 5, 2008 }}</ref>
Much of [[Leonard Cohen]]'s song "[[Famous Blue Raincoat]]" (1971)<ref>[http://www.leonardcohen.com/music.cgi?album_id=20&song_id=6 Leonard Cohen's official website] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405065354/http://www.leonardcohen.com/music.cgi?album_id=20&song_id=6 |date=April 5, 2008 }}</ref> is written in amphibrachs - e.g. the first verse (apart from the first foot of the third line, which is a [[spondee]]):
is written in amphibrachs - e.g. the first verse (apart from the first foot of the third line, which is a [[spondee]]):


:It's '''four''' in / the '''morn'''ing, / the '''end''' of / De'''cem'''ber
:It's '''four''' in / the '''morn'''ing, / the '''end''' of / De'''cem'''ber
Line 28: Line 37:
:There's '''mu'''sic / on '''Clin'''ton / Street '''all''' through / the '''eve'''ning.
:There's '''mu'''sic / on '''Clin'''ton / Street '''all''' through / the '''eve'''ning.


=== Versace ===
⚫
Amphibrachic metre is very popular in Polish literature. It can be found in romantic poetry in some works by [[Adam Mickiewicz]] and [[Juliusz Słowacki]]. The best known example is "Deszcz jesienny" (English: "Autumn rain") by [[Leopold Staff]]. Amfibrachus is believed to be suitable for lullabies. Usually Polish amphibrachic lines have feminine ending (for example tetrametre sSssSssSssSs) but some poets experiment with masculine lines. In the poem Walc (The waltz) by [[Czesław Miłosz]] the first line is sSssSssSssSs and the second sSssSssSssS, and so on.<ref>Wiktor J. Darasz, Amfibrach, Język polski 1-2/1999, p. 106.</ref> [[Jan Bolesław Ożóg]] experimented with irregular amphibrachic verse with different number of feet in succeeding lines. An example of this way of making verse is the poem ''Jemioła'' (''Mistletoe''), included in the book with the same title (1966).<ref>Wiktor J. Darasz, Amfibrach, opus citatum.</ref>
[[Migos]]' 2013 hit "[[Versace (song)| Versace]]" popularized rapping in (amphibrachic) triplets:<ref>{{Citation|last=Complex|title=Tracing the Lineage of the Migos Flow {{!}} Complex|date=2014-03-21|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8QVVFilrEc|accessdate=2017-09-07}}</ref> <blockquote>
Ver'''sa'''ce / Ver'''sa'''ce / Me'''du'''sa / head '''on''' me / like '''I'm''' 'Lum / in'''a'''ti

I '''know''' that / you '''like''' it / Ver'''sac'''e / my '''neck''' and / my '''wrist''' is / so '''slop'''py

Ver'''sa'''ce / Ver'''sa'''ce / I '''love''' it / Ver'''sac'''e / the '''top''' of / my '''Au'''di


My '''plug''' is / John '''Go'''tti / he '''give''' me / the '''ducks''' and / I '''know''' that / they '''migh'''ty<ref>{{Citation |title=Migos – Versace |url=https://genius.com/Migos-versace-lyrics |language=en |accessdate=2017-09-07}}</ref> </blockquote>
== Modern examples ==
In modern rap music, the group [[Migos]] has popularized rhyming in triplets<ref>{{Citation|last=Complex|title=Tracing the Lineage of the Migos Flow {{!}} Complex|date=2014-03-21|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8QVVFilrEc|accessdate=2017-09-07}}</ref> and often do so in amphibrachs. On their 2013 hit "[[Versace (song)| Versace]]", [[Quavo]] raps "Versace" as an amphibrach and expands on it throughout the verse:<ref>{{Citation|title=Migos – Versace|url=https://genius.com/Migos-versace-lyrics|language=en|accessdate=2017-09-07}}</ref> <blockquote>Ver'''sa'''ce / Ver'''sa'''ce / Me'''du'''sa / head '''on''' me / like '''I'm''' 'Lum / in'''a'''ti</blockquote><blockquote>I '''know''' that / you '''like''' it / Ver'''sac'''e / my '''neck''' and / my '''wrist''' is / so '''slop'''py</blockquote><blockquote>Ver'''sa'''ce / Ver'''sa'''ce / I '''love''' it / Ver'''sac'''e / the '''top''' of / my '''Au'''di</blockquote><blockquote>My '''plug''' is / John '''Go'''tti / he '''give''' me / the '''ducks''' and / I '''know''' that / they '''migh'''ty</blockquote>


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 20:25, 20 June 2024

Metrical feet and accents
Disyllables
◡ ◡pyrrhic, dibrach
◡ –iamb
– ◡trochee, choree
– –spondee
Trisyllables
◡ ◡ ◡tribrach
– ◡ ◡dactyl
◡ – ◡amphibrach
◡ ◡ –anapaest, antidactylus
◡ – –bacchius
– ◡ –cretic, amphimacer
– – ◡antibacchius
– – –molossus
See main article for tetrasyllables.

An amphibrach (/ˈæmfɪbræk/)[1] is a metrical foot used in Latin and Greek prosody. It consists of a long syllable between two short syllables.[2] The word comes from the Greek ἀμφίβραχυς, amphíbrakhys, "short on both sides".

Usage

[edit]

English

[edit]

In English accentual-syllabic poetry, an amphibrach is a stressed syllable surrounded by two unstressed syllables. It is rarely used as the overall meter of a poem, usually appearing only in a small amount of humorous poetry, children's poetry, and experimental poems. The individual amphibrachic foot often appears as a variant within, for instance, anapaestic meter.

It is the main foot used in the construction of the limerick, as in "There once was / a girl from / Nantucket." It was also used by the Victorians for narrative poetry, e.g. Samuel Woodworth's poem "The Old Oaken Bucket" (1817) beginning "How dear to / my heart are / the scenes of / my childhood."[3] W. H. Auden's poem "O where are you going?" (1931) is a more recent and slightly less metrically-regular example. The amphibrach is also often used in ballads and light verse, such as the hypermetrical lines of Sir John Betjeman's poem "Meditation on the A30" (1966).

Russian

[edit]

Amphibrachs are a staple meter of Russian poetry. A common variation in an amphibrachic line, in both Russian and English, is to end the line with an iamb, as Thomas Hardy does in "The Ruined Maid" (1901): "Oh did n't / you know I'd / been ru in'd / said she".[4]

Polish

[edit]

Amphibrachic metre is very popular in Polish literature. It can be found in romantic poetry in some works by Adam Mickiewicz and Juliusz Słowacki. The best known example is "Deszcz jesienny" (English: "Autumn rain"; 1908) by Leopold Staff. The amphibrach is believed to be suitable for lullabies. Usually Polish amphibrachic lines have feminine endings (for example the tetrametre ◡–◡◡–◡◡–◡◡–◡) but some poets experiment with masculine lines as well. In the poem "Walc" (English: "Waltz") from Czesław Miłosz's 1945 collection Ocalenie the first line is feminine, ◡–◡◡–◡◡–◡◡–◡, the second masculine, ◡–◡◡–◡◡–◡◡–, and so on.[5] Jan Bolesław Ożóg experimented with irregular amphibrachic verse with different numbers of feet in successive lines. An example of this way of making verse is the poem Jemioła (Mistletoe), included in the book with the same title (1966).[6]

Examples

[edit]

Dr. Suess

[edit]

Some books by Dr. Seuss contain many lines written in amphibrachs, such as these from If I Ran the Circus (1956):

All ready / to put up / the tents for / my circus.
I think I / will call it / the Circus / McGurkus.
And NOW comes / an act of / Enormous / Enormance!
No former / performer's / performed this / performance!

Famous Blue Raincoat

[edit]

Much of Leonard Cohen's song "Famous Blue Raincoat" (1971)[7] is written in amphibrachs - e.g. the first verse (apart from the first foot of the third line, which is a spondee):

It's four in / the morning, / the end of / December
I'm writing / you now just / to see if / you're better
New York / is cold, but / I like where / I'm living
There's music / on Clinton / Street all through / the evening.

Versace

[edit]

Migos' 2013 hit " Versace" popularized rapping in (amphibrachic) triplets:[8]

Versace / Versace / Medusa / head on me / like I'm 'Lum / inati

I know that / you like it / Versace / my neck and / my wrist is / so sloppy

Versace / Versace / I love it / Versace / the top of / my Audi

My plug is / John Gotti / he give me / the ducks and / I know that / they mighty[9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011). Roach, Peter; Setter, Jane; Esling, John (eds.). Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (18th ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-15255-6.
  2. ^ Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria 9.4.81.
  3. ^ Finch, Annie. A Poet's Craft. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2012, p. 407
  4. ^ Finch, Annie, A Poet's Craft. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2012, p. 406
  5. ^ Wiktor J. Darasz, Amfibrach, Język polski 1-2/1999, p. 106.
  6. ^ Wiktor J. Darasz, Amfibrach, opus citatum.
  7. ^ Leonard Cohen's official website Archived April 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Complex (2014-03-21), Tracing the Lineage of the Migos Flow | Complex, retrieved 2017-09-07
  9. ^ Migos – Versace, retrieved 2017-09-07
[edit]
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