Dolce Stil Novo (Italian pronunciation: [ˈdoltʃe ˌstil ˈnɔːvo], meaning “sweet new style”) was a literary movement in 13th and 14th century Italy. It was influenced by the Sicilian School and Tuscan poetry, and its main theme was Divine Love. The term “Dolce Stil Novo” was first used by Dante Alighieri in Purgatorio, the second part of Divina Commedia.
Doggerel, or doggrel, is a type of poetry that has an uneven rhythm and rhyme pattern. It is often used intentionally to create humor or funny effects. Sometimes, it refers to poetry with a repetitive rhythm, simple rhymes, and messages that are not very meaningful.
In the study of how materials behave under forces, stress is a measure that describes the forces acting during changes in shape. For example, when an object is pulled apart, like a stretched rubber band, it experiences tensile stress and may become longer. When an object is pushed together, like a squeezed sponge, it experiences compressive stress and may become shorter.
In poetry, a couplet ( / ˈ k ʌ p l ə t / CUP -lət ) or distich ( / ˈ d ɪ s t ɪ k / DISS -tick ) is a pair of lines that follow each other, rhyme, and have the same meter. A couplet can be formal (closed) or run-on (open). In a formal (closed) couplet, each line ends with a pause, meaning there is a stop at the end of each line.
In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is a mental condition where people hold ideas, beliefs, or actions that conflict with one another, often without realizing it. When people face situations that highlight these conflicts, they are motivated to change their thoughts or actions to reduce the discomfort caused by the conflict. This can happen by adjusting a belief, explaining away a situation, or taking steps to make the conflicting ideas seem less inconsistent.
Dissociation of sensibility is a term used in literature that was introduced by T. S. Eliot in his essay “The Metaphysical Poets.” It describes a change Eliot believed happened in poetry during the 1600s, when intellectual ideas became separated from emotional experiences.
Discourse refers to the idea of conversation extended to all forms of communication. It is a key subject in social studies, with research covering areas like sociology, anthropology, philosophy, and discourse analysis. Inspired by Michel Foucault, these fields see discourse as a system of thoughts, knowledge, or communication that shapes how people understand the world.
A dirge is a sad song or lament that expresses sorrow or grief, often performed at a funeral. Dirges are usually short hymns and are not as long or thoughtful as elegies. They are often played slowly and sound like funeral marches.
In radio and telecommunications, a dipole antenna or doublet is one of the two simplest and most commonly used types of antenna. The other type is the monopole antenna. A dipole is part of a group of antennas that create a signal pattern similar to a basic electric dipole.
In poetry, a dimeter is a line of verse that follows a specific rhythm pattern, containing two feet. The type of foot used can change depending on the poem. In Thomas Hood’s poem “Bridge of Sighs,” the first line in a pair has two feet, each with three syllables.