Speaking Rate in the Rhythm of Persian Poetry

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Linguistics Department, Faculty of Literature, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Literature, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Linguistics & Persian Studies, Faculty of Literature & Humanity, Imam Khomeini International University, Ghazvin, Iran

Abstract

Speaking rate relates to the time percentage or the proportion of length of silent pauses. Poetry includes more pauses and the speaking rate is slower in poetry than in natural speech. In this research, the correlation of speaking rate with the duration of silent pauses and the duration of soundings was studied in the temporal structure of the rhythm of Persian classical poetry. Six pieces of poems in the forms of Ghazal and Rubā’i from three main metrical patterns were selected. Ten male and twelve female speakers read these poems at their normal speaking rate. The acoustic analysis was conducted by Praat software, and the statistical and mathematical analyses were done by R software using correlation test. The results indicated that in the rhythm of Persian classical poetry, speaking rate is a stylistic element and it accelerates by increasing the duration of pauses and decreasing the duration of soundings. The correlation of speaking rate with form and metrical pattern suggests that rhythm of poetry can be studied mathematically. Moreover, we offered to analyze the rhythm of poetry mathematically and acoustically based on the number and duration of pauses and sounding units. Also, the calculation of speaking rate proves the hierarchical structure of rhythm of Persian poetry. Moreover, these ratios suggest that the larger rhythmic units depend on the stylistic parameters, and the smaller rhythmic units are influenced by both stylistic and individual parameters.

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History

  • Receive Date: 02 March 2025
  • Revise Date: 26 April 2025
  • Accept Date: 28 April 2025

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