Quote:
Originally posted by VictoriaGaile:
Er, what exactly is the difference between "adding unstressed syllables" and "substitution" with anapests or dactyls?
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I see where you're coming from now, Victoria.
In
strict IP, only trochaic or spondaic substitutions are considered acceptable. Of course, many poets substitute with anapaests and dactyls and I personally have no problem with that if it works in the particular poem, but I would call it "loose iambics". It could well be that there is more to it than that - hence this thread - and if you have any insights I'd be interested to hear them.
It strikes me that the difference between loose iambics, sprung rhythm, and 5-beat accentual meter isn't all that easy to define. Not that it matters all that much, I suppose.