A "tribrach word" is a word consisting of three short syllables, such as Latin nitida "shining" or Greek ἔχετε "you have".[1] An English equivalent would be a word with three short syllables such as Canada or passenger.
The origin of the word tribrach is the Greek τρίβραχυς, derived from the prefix τρι- "three" and the adjective βραχύς "short".
The name tribrachys is first recorded in the Roman writer Quintilian (1st century AD). According to Quintilian, an alternative name for a tribrach, was a "trochee": Tres breves trochaeum, quem tribrachyn dici volunt qui choreo trochaei nomen imponunt ("Three short syllables make a trochaeus, but those who give the name trochaeus to the choraeus prefer to call it a tribrachys.")[2] Quintilian himself referred to it as a trochaeus. However, in modern usage a run of three short syllables is always called a tribrach, while the word trochee is used of a long + short (or heavy + light, or stressed + unstressed) sequence. Another name, mentioned in Diomedes Grammaticus (4th century AD) was tribrevis.[3]
The Latin writer on metrics Terentianus Maurus (2nd century AD) noted that the long syllable of a trochaic foot (– u) was often resolved into two short syllables, "hence what we call a tribrach can also be called a trochaeus".[4] He adds that a tribrach can also be found as a substitute for an iambic foot (u –) and in the first or second half of an amphimacros (cretic) (– u –).
The earliest mention of the word τρίβραχυς in a Greek writer recorded in Liddell and Scott's lexicon is in the grammarian Hephaestion (2nd century AD), who lists the tribrach among the possible forms which a trochaic foot could take.[5] It was also known as τριβραχὺς ποῦς "a tribrach foot".[6]
In Latin poetry a tribrach is never found in the works of Virgil, Ovid, or Catullus, since the hexameter and hendecasyllable metres do not allow a series of more than two syllables. It is, however, fairly common in iambic and trochaic verse as used in Roman comedy in writers such as Plautus and Terence.
In iambic and trochaic metres a tribrach can replace either an iamb (u –) or a trochee (– u) at any place except immediately before the end of the line or before the central dieresis.
So for example whether in iambic or trochaic poetry a long element can be replaced by two short syllables. Usually the word accent falls at the beginning of the long syllable:
sémper áliquid "always something" (with a tribrach replacing u –)
ēvēnīt sénibus "it happened to the old men" (with a tribrach replacing – u)
There are certain rules of word division in a tribrach. For example, a tribrach word such as sénibus is not found replacing an iamb (u –) but only replacing a trochee (– u). This rule, however, does not apply in Greek, where word-accent has no effect on the metre.[1]
Occasionally two tribrachs are found together in a verse:
úb(i) era pépererit "when the mistress has given birth"[7]
An example of a double tribrach in more serious verse is found in the poem said to have been written by the emperor Hadrian on his deathbed, Animula vagula blandula. Each line of the poem is in an iambic dimeter (u – u – | u – u –), but in the first and fourth lines the first two long elements are resolved into two short syllables, making a tribrach:
Anímula vágula blándula
Hospes comesque corporis
Quae nunc abībis in loca?
Pallídula rígida nūdula
Nec ut solēs dabis iocōs
Poor little, wandering, charming soul
Guest and companion of my body,
What place will you go to now?
Pale, stiff, naked little thing,
Nor will you be making jokes as you usually do.
In English poetry
Just as in Latin poetry, a tribrach can replace a trochee in trochaic metre:
Humpty / Dumpty / sat on a / wall
In the music which is traditionally used for this nursery rhyme (see Humpty Dumpty), the words "Humpty" and "Dumpty" are given a quarter note + eighth note, while "sat on a" has three eighth notes.
As in Latin, a tribrach can also replace a trochaic portion of an iambic line, as in this example from "Teddy Bears' Picnic" (1932):
The / little / teddy / bears are / having a / lovely / time to/day
The substitution of a tribrach for a trochee is often associated with children's poetry. An example in a more serious poem is the following, from Sam Ryder's song "Space Man" (2022). In the refrain a tribrach is used for the words "nothing but" in a similar way with three short equal notes in the music:
I've / searched a/round the / uni/verse
/ Been down / some black / holes
There's / nothing but / space, / man
A double tribrach (as in "higgledy piggledy") is also found in English poetry, for example in the nursery rhyme "Hickory Dickory Dock" (c. 1744):
tribrach, poetry, other, uses, tribrach, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, tribrach, poetry, news, new. For other uses see Tribrach This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Tribrach poetry news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message A tribrach is a metrical foot used in formal poetry and Greek and Latin verse In quantitative meter such as the meter of classical verse it consists of three short syllables in accentual syllabic verse such as formal English verse the tribrach consists of a run of three short syllables substituted for a trochee Metrical feet and accentsDisyllables pyrrhic dibrach iamb trochee choree spondeeTrisyllables tribrach dactyl amphibrach anapaest antidactylus bacchius antibacchius cretic amphimacer molossusSee main article for tetrasyllables vteA tribrach word is a word consisting of three short syllables such as Latin nitida shining or Greek ἔxete you have 1 An English equivalent would be a word with three short syllables such as Canada or passenger The origin of the word tribrach is the Greek tribraxys derived from the prefix tri three and the adjective braxys short Contents 1 Terminology 2 In Latin poetry 3 In English poetry 4 ReferencesTerminology EditThe name tribrachys is first recorded in the Roman writer Quintilian 1st century AD According to Quintilian an alternative name for a tribrach was a trochee Tres breves trochaeum quem tribrachyn dici volunt qui choreo trochaei nomen imponunt Three short syllables make a trochaeus but those who give the name trochaeus to the choraeus prefer to call it a tribrachys 2 Quintilian himself referred to it as a trochaeus However in modern usage a run of three short syllables is always called a tribrach while the word trochee is used of a long short or heavy light or stressed unstressed sequence Another name mentioned in Diomedes Grammaticus 4th century AD was tribrevis 3 The Latin writer on metrics Terentianus Maurus 2nd century AD noted that the long syllable of a trochaic foot u was often resolved into two short syllables hence what we call a tribrach can also be called a trochaeus 4 He adds that a tribrach can also be found as a substitute for an iambic foot u and in the first or second half of an amphimacros cretic u The earliest mention of the word tribraxys in a Greek writer recorded in Liddell and Scott s lexicon is in the grammarian Hephaestion 2nd century AD who lists the tribrach among the possible forms which a trochaic foot could take 5 It was also known as tribraxὺs poῦs a tribrach foot 6 In Latin poetry EditFurther information Metres of Roman comedy In Latin poetry a tribrach is never found in the works of Virgil Ovid or Catullus since the hexameter and hendecasyllable metres do not allow a series of more than two syllables It is however fairly common in iambic and trochaic verse as used in Roman comedy in writers such as Plautus and Terence In iambic and trochaic metres a tribrach can replace either an iamb u or a trochee u at any place except immediately before the end of the line or before the central dieresis So for example whether in iambic or trochaic poetry a long element can be replaced by two short syllables Usually the word accent falls at the beginning of the long syllable semper aliquid always something with a tribrach replacing u evenit senibus it happened to the old men with a tribrach replacing u dd There are certain rules of word division in a tribrach For example a tribrach word such as senibus is not found replacing an iamb u but only replacing a trochee u This rule however does not apply in Greek where word accent has no effect on the metre 1 Occasionally two tribrachs are found together in a verse ub i era pepererit when the mistress has given birth 7 dd An example of a double tribrach in more serious verse is found in the poem said to have been written by the emperor Hadrian on his deathbed Animula vagula blandula Each line of the poem is in an iambic dimeter u u u u but in the first and fourth lines the first two long elements are resolved into two short syllables making a tribrach Animula vagula blandula Hospes comesque corporis Quae nunc abibis in loca Pallidula rigida nudula Nec ut soles dabis iocōs dd Poor little wandering charming soul Guest and companion of my body What place will you go to now Pale stiff naked little thing Nor will you be making jokes as you usually do dd In English poetry EditJust as in Latin poetry a tribrach can replace a trochee in trochaic metre Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall dd In the music which is traditionally used for this nursery rhyme see Humpty Dumpty the words Humpty and Dumpty are given a quarter note eighth note while sat on a has three eighth notes As in Latin a tribrach can also replace a trochaic portion of an iambic line as in this example from Teddy Bears Picnic 1932 The little teddy bears are having a lovely time to day dd The substitution of a tribrach for a trochee is often associated with children s poetry An example in a more serious poem is the following from Sam Ryder s song Space Man 2022 In the refrain a tribrach is used for the words nothing but in a similar way with three short equal notes in the music I ve searched a round the uni verse Been down some black holes There s nothing but space man dd A double tribrach as in higgledy piggledy is also found in English poetry for example in the nursery rhyme Hickory Dickory Dock c 1744 Hickory dickory dock The mouse ran up the clock dd Another example is found in the children s poem Disobedience 1924 by A A Milne from his collection When We Were Very Young James James Morrison Morrison Weatherby George Du pree Took great Care of his Mother Though he was only three dd References Edit a b W M Lindsay 1919 Early Latin Verse pp 105 6 Quintilian Institutio Oratoria Book 9 4 82 Lewis and Short Latin Dictionary Terentianus Maurus 1445 6 Hephaestion 3 2 1 Liddell Scott Jones Greek Lexicon tribraxys Terence Phormio 47 This poetry related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tribrach poetry amp oldid 1145709956, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
