Which metrical foot is described as short-short?

Which metrical foot is described as short-short?

• A. Iamb
• B. Anapest
• C. Dactyl
• D. Spondee

Answer: (C)

In poetry, a metrical foot groups syllables by stress, with “short” meaning unstressed and “long” meaning stressed. The four common feet map out as follows: an iamb is unstressed-stressed (short-long), anapest is unstressed-unstressed-stressed (short-short-long), a dactyl is stressed-unstressed-unstressed (long-short-short), and a spondee is stressed-stressed (long-long). When we hear “short-short,” we’re looking at two unstressed syllables in succession. In the pattern of a dactyl, two unstressed syllables follow the initial stressed one, so there is a clear two-unstressed section within that foot. That makes the dactyl the best fit for a description focusing on the presence of a pair of short (unstressed) syllables in sequence. The other feet either don’t place two unstressed syllables together in the same way, or they center on a different arrangement of stresses.

In poetry, a metrical foot groups syllables by stress, with “short” meaning unstressed and “long” meaning stressed. The four common feet map out as follows: an iamb is unstressed-stressed (short-long), anapest is unstressed-unstressed-stressed (short-short-long), a dactyl is stressed-unstressed-unstressed (long-short-short), and a spondee is stressed-stressed (long-long).

When we hear “short-short,” we’re looking at two unstressed syllables in succession. In the pattern of a dactyl, two unstressed syllables follow the initial stressed one, so there is a clear two-unstressed section within that foot. That makes the dactyl the best fit for a description focusing on the presence of a pair of short (unstressed) syllables in sequence. The other feet either don’t place two unstressed syllables together in the same way, or they center on a different arrangement of stresses.