12-11-2013, 11:23 AM
(12-11-2013, 11:21 AM)crow Wrote: That's what Pinsky says. I just disagree. His example is BROWN COW, and the reason he gives for it not being a spondee is that his ear demotes one or the other syllable. But he doesn't address how he'd hear "it's a BROWN COW in a FIELD STANDing aLONE," so I'm unconvinced. And if it's widely accepted that spondees only exist in Latin and Greek . . . I guess I have a heterodox ear . . .spondees exist in English all the time.
In any case, I won't post anything else w spondees
If you want to experience how promotion/demotion works, say BROWNCOW five times fast and see what happens.
BTW, it isn't really a he says/she says type of thing, as a writer you need to train your ear. The more you do it the easier it will be. After 1000 lines of blank verse you would read this properly but it takes practice.