dubbelrijige

Dubbelrijige is a term used in Dutch literary criticism to describe a poetic technique in which a single line or a short unit contains two rhyming elements, generating a compact and dense sonic texture. The word combines dubbel (double) and rijm (rhyme), with the adjectival suffix -ige to form an evaluative descriptor.

Description: In dubbelrijige passages, poets arrange rhymes so that two rhymes are felt within the same line or within closely linked lines. This can involve two end words that rhyme with distinct targets in the surrounding lines, internal rhymes, or a combination of both. The result is a heightened emphasis on sound and musicality, often paired with parallel syntax or imagery.

Variations and relation to other forms: Dubbelrijige is related to but distinct from dubbelrijm (double rhyme), which typically concerns a rhyme pattern across lines; dubbelrijige focuses on per-line density. It can be employed in sonnets, ballads, and experimental verse, though it remains a niche term rather than a widely standardized category.

History and usage: The concept appears sporadically in Dutch criticism and in studies of rhyme density. It is more frequently discussed in theoretical discussions of sound patterning than as a formal, codified genre. Because the term is not widely standardized, its exact definition can vary between authors.

See also: Dutch poetry, rijm, dubbelrijm, alliteratie, assonantie