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Iambic pentameter

TheOldMole Feb 18 2007 01:08 PM

I give my creative writing students an assignment to bring in things they've overheard people saying in iambic pentameter. The trouble is, once you start thinking this way, it's hard to stop. So here, from the Crane Pool: chainsaw dentistry is in the news. The author of the book (if it exists) "Don't forget to try a new position!" (trochaic) I'll get through Metadata after all. That black stuff is some kind of chocolate icing.

iramets Feb 18 2007 02:06 PM

How do you get "stuff is" as an iambic foot?

TheOldMole Feb 18 2007 02:13 PM

I'd probably flag that one if a student did it. Offstress on "stuff," stress on "is." But it's not all that terrible. "Black stuff" is really the natural pronunciation.

Rockin' Doc Feb 18 2007 08:26 PM

Okay, I admit that I had to look up the definition of iambic pentameter and I'm still somewhat confused as to it's meaning. English was never my strong suit in school.

Frayed Knot Feb 18 2007 09:05 PM

It's like trench foot ... only different.

Rockin' Doc Feb 18 2007 09:16 PM

Okay, that clears things up. Well, not really.

RealityChuck Feb 19 2007 11:44 PM

It's really not that hard to understand An "iamb" is two syllables with stress Upon the second one but not the first. "Is this the face that launched a thousand ships." is one example everybody knows. "Pentameter" means five iambic feet -- Five iambs or ten syllables in all. It's mostly used in sonnets nowadays And Shakespeare often used it in his plays.