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"Had
in them more feet than the verses would bear"
As You Like It
- III, 2
Many
of the suggested pronunciations in this dictionary are influenced
by Shakespeare's use of iambic pentameter, which was the staple
of English poetry from the time of Chaucer until the turn of the
last century when free verse (that is, verse written outside of
a metrical form) came into play. The verse form and the pronunciation
of the Shakespearean vocabulary are intertwined. Shakespeare's
verse often demands specific pronunciations, some of which are
different than those used in colloquial speech. Pronunciations
that respect the verse form can assist the actor not only with
meaning and syntax but with acting intentions and emotional clarity.
Our attention to rhythm and Shakespeare's use of metrics in the
compilation of this dictionary is intended to help the actor speak
a living, breathing, supple language, rather than recite a printed
text. As obvious as it seems, it might be good to note that the
printed text is not the spoken word. The goal should be to experiment
with the verse form in order to achieve a spoken language that
is heightened yet realistic, thoughtful yet engaging. It is the
unseen quality of the verse - its rhythm and the corresponding
system of metrics - that gives the words their drive, power, and
presence.
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