Verse principle

The verse principle describes a metrical principle in verse theory that determines the characteristics of syllables that determine the structural regularity of verses .

There are three main verse principles:

• quantifying verse principle (measuring syllables), in which the length of the syllable is decisive, predominant in ancient poetry;
• syllable-counting verse principle (counting syllables), in which the number of syllables is decisive, predominant in the Romance languages;
• Accentuating verse principle (weighing syllables), in which the stress of the syllables ( verse accent ) is decisive, predominant in the Germanic languages. Depending on whether there is no filling , a further distinction can then be made:
  • alternating verse principle : there is exactly one lowering between two uplifts ;
  • tacting verse principle : the number of lifts is decisive; each uplift can be followed by several subsidence.

literature

• Otto Knörrich: Lexicon of lyrical forms (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 479). Kröner, Stuttgart 1992, ISBN 3-520-47901-X .