Metric syncope
In verse theory, metric syncope is the omission of a verse element when realizing a metric scheme in the verse . Weaker elements are always left out, i.e. lowering with accentuating or shortness with quantifying verse principle .
For example, if the meter is an iambic trimeter with the scheme
- ◡ — ◡ — ˌ◡ — ◡ — ˌ◡ — ◡—
so would by omitting the parenthesized elements
- ◡— (◡) —ˌ (◡) —◡ — ˌ◡— (◡) -
a verse of syncopated form
- ◡ —— ˌ — ◡ — ˌ◡——
arise. The verse feet of the syncopated verse are Bacchius (———) and Kreticus (—◡—), which is why these verse feet are also referred to as syncopated forms of the iambic metron .
Metric syncope is to be distinguished from the omission of an unstressed vowel, also known as syncope , for example to preserve the meter:
Gray, dear friend, is all theory,
And the golden tree of life is green.
Here “goldener” is syncopated with “goldenner”, since an additional lowering would violate the meter. In contrast to this omission of sounds, an element of the meter is omitted in metric syncope.
literature
- Gero von Wilpert : Subject dictionary of literature. 8th edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 2013, ISBN 978-3-520-84601-3 , p. 804 f.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Johann Wolfgang Goethe : Faust - The tragedy first part v. 2039 f.