In poetic meter, diaeresis (/daɪˈɛrɪsɪs/ or /daɪˈɪərɪsɪs/, also spelled diæresis or dieresis) has two meanings: the separate pronunciation of the two vowels in a diphthong for the sake of meter, and a division between feet that corresponds to the division between words.
Synaeresis, the pronunciation of two vowels as a diphthong (or as a long vowel), is the opposite of the first definition.
Diaeresis comes from the Ancient Greek noun diaíresis (διαίρεσις) "taking apart" or "division" (also "distinction"),[1] from the verb diairéō (διαιρέω) "take apart",[2] a compound of the verb airéō (αἱρέω) "take" and the preposition diá (διά) "through" (in compounds, "apart").[3]
French
In the phonology of Standard French, the letters ie are normally pronounced [je] or [jɛ] except after Cr or Cl, when they indicate two syllables, [ije] or [ijɛ]. (That exception came into the language only around the 17th century, as can be seen in poems before then.)
In some French dialects, however, diaeresis is the norm, with the two-syllable pronunciation found after any consonant. In Standard French, the pronunciation of hier (yesterday) varies between the two, [jɛʁ] or [ijɛʁ], depending on the context.
Greek
Diaeresis as separate pronunciation of vowels in a diphthong was first named where it occurred in the poetry of Homer.
Example
ἀλλά μοι ἀμφ᾿ Ὀδυσῆϊ δαΐφρονι δαίεται ῆτορ... But my soul is torn about Odysseus the fiery-hearted...
48
In this example, diaereses are in bold. The vowels in each diaeresis are placed in separate syllables when the line is scanned:
Dactylic hexameter depends on the sequence of long and short (or heavy and light) syllables. It is composed of six feet, five of which are in two basic patterns: long–short–short (dactyl) or long–long (spondee).
In the scansion of the line above, long syllables are uppercase, short syllables are lowercase, and feet are divided by a vertical line. All feet in the line conform to one of the two patterns of dactylic hexameter.
If the pairs of vowels are contracted into diphthongs by synaeresis (i.e., Ὀδυσῇ δαίφρονι) and the diphthongs are placed in one syllable each, one foot (in red) no longer follows the patterns, no matter how the line is scanned:
In Homer, compounds beginning with ἐύ- (also spelled ἐΰ-, with a diaeresis or trema) frequently contain two separate vowels (diaeresis). In later Greek, the two vowels form a diphthong (synaeresis).
The word comes from εὖ "well",[4] the adverbial use of the neuter accusative singular of the adjective ἐύς "good".[5]
diaeresis, prosody, other, uses, diaeresis, disambiguation, poetic, meter, diaeresis, ɪər, also, spelled, diæresis, dieresis, meanings, separate, pronunciation, vowels, diphthong, sake, meter, division, between, feet, that, corresponds, division, between, word. For other uses see Diaeresis disambiguation In poetic meter diaeresis d aɪ ˈ ɛr ɪ s ɪ s or d aɪ ˈ ɪer ɪ s ɪ s also spelled diaeresis or dieresis has two meanings the separate pronunciation of the two vowels in a diphthong for the sake of meter and a division between feet that corresponds to the division between words Synaeresis the pronunciation of two vowels as a diphthong or as a long vowel is the opposite of the first definition Contents 1 Etymology 2 French 3 Greek 3 1 Example 3 2 Eὖ 4 See also 5 ReferencesEtymology EditDiaeresis comes from the Ancient Greek noun diairesis diairesis taking apart or division also distinction 1 from the verb diaireō diairew take apart 2 a compound of the verb aireō aἱrew take and the preposition dia dia through in compounds apart 3 French EditIn the phonology of Standard French the letters ie are normally pronounced je or jɛ except after Cr or Cl when they indicate two syllables ije or ijɛ That exception came into the language only around the 17th century as can be seen in poems before then In some French dialects however diaeresis is the norm with the two syllable pronunciation found after any consonant In Standard French the pronunciation of hier yesterday varies between the two jɛʁ or ijɛʁ depending on the context Greek EditDiaeresis as separate pronunciation of vowels in a diphthong was first named where it occurred in the poetry of Homer Example Edit ἀlla moi ἀmf Ὀdysῆi daifroni daietai ῆtor But my soul is torn about Odysseus the fiery hearted 48In this example diaereses are in bold The vowels in each diaeresis are placed in separate syllables when the line is scanned AL la moi AM fo dy SH i da IF ro ni DAI e tai H TORDactylic hexameter depends on the sequence of long and short or heavy and light syllables It is composed of six feet five of which are in two basic patterns long short short dactyl or long long spondee In the scansion of the line above long syllables are uppercase short syllables are lowercase and feet are divided by a vertical line All feet in the line conform to one of the two patterns of dactylic hexameter If the pairs of vowels are contracted into diphthongs by synaeresis i e Ὀdysῇ daifroni and the diphthongs are placed in one syllable each one foot in red no longer follows the patterns no matter how the line is scanned AL la moi AM fo dy SHI DAIF ro ni DAI e tai H TOR AL la moi AM fo dy SHI DAIF ro ni DAI e tai H TOREὖ Edit In Homer compounds beginning with ἐy also spelled ἐy with a diaeresis or trema frequently contain two separate vowels diaeresis In later Greek the two vowels form a diphthong synaeresis The word comes from eὖ well 4 the adverbial use of the neuter accusative singular of the adjective ἐys good 5 The form with diaeresis is the original form since the word comes from Proto Indo European esu e grade of ablaut which is cognate with Sanskrit su zero grade 6 In Proto Greek s between vowels became h debuccalization and later was lost See also EditSynaeresis Vowel breakingReferences Edit diairesis Liddell Henry George Scott Robert A Greek English Lexicon at the Perseus Project diairew in Liddell and Scott aἱrew and dia in Liddell and Scott eὖ in Liddell and Scott eὖ and ἐys in Liddell and Scott Harper Douglas eu Online Etymology Dictionary Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Diaeresis prosody amp oldid 885902482, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
