How Do You Spell MORAE?

Pronunciation: [mˈɔːɹiː] (IPA)

"Morae" is a plural form of "mora," meaning a unit of rhythm in verse or music. It is pronounced as |ˈmɔːri, ˈmɒreɪ| in British English and |ˈmɔːrəi, ˈmɔːreɪ, ˈmɔreɪi| in American English. The spelling "morae" deviates from the usual "-ae" pluralization of Latin words in English, which would typically be written as "moras." This unique spelling denotes the emphasis on the two syllables that make up a mora, emphasizing the importance of the precise syllabic structure of poetic or musical compositions.

MORAE Meaning and Definition

1. Morae, from the Greek word "morai," are units of measurement used in linguistic prosody and metrical theory to quantify the duration of syllables or segments of speech. In linguistics, a mora is defined as a basic element of timing in speech, representing the time it takes to generate a single syllable, determine the weight of a syllable or other prosodic features. It can be thought of as a rhythmic foundation underlying the organization of sounds in a language.

   A mora can be considered as a beat or pulse that regulates the timing and rhythm of speech. It is typically measured in terms of the duration of a short vowel or other short segment. However, the length of a mora can vary between languages, so it is a relative concept rather than an absolute measurement.

   In some languages, including Japanese and several Native American languages, the concept of morae is crucial for distinguishing between words. For example, word pairs in Japanese like "kiku" (to hear) and "kikku" (to kick) are differentiated by the number of morae.

   Understanding the concept of morae is significant for studying the meter, stress patterns, and syllable structure of languages, particularly in poetry and verse. By taking into account the number and arrangement of morae in a line or verse, one can analyze and appreciate the rhythmic and metrical qualities of a text.

Common Misspellings for MORAE

• mo5ae
• mo4ae

Etymology of MORAE

The word "morae" comes from Latin, specifically from the word "mora". In Latin, "mora" means "delay" or "pause". The plural form of "mora" is "morae", which is commonly used in English to refer to the units of time in prosody, representing the length or duration of the syllables or sounds in poetry or music.

Similar spelling words for MORAE

• more,
• mower,
• Mohr,
• mohar,
• Morra,
• moirae,
• mowery,
• mohria,
• moire,
• Mowry,
• moree,
• Morey,
• Moyer,
• moore,
• moirai,
• moir,
• Moira,
• moura,
• morea,
• MOR,
• moor,
• mohair,
• morrow,
• moray,
• mowrey,
• moreau,
• Mora,
• Morro.