Prosodic regularity and reader reception in three-word rhyming couplets: a four-pronged investigation of Dizi Gui

Abstract

Prosodic regularity—characterized by fixed rhythm, end-rhyme, and syntactic parallelism—has been theorized to enhance memorability, but there is limited empirical evidence linking these features to cognitive mechanisms. This study examines whether textual characteristics associated with prosodic regularity and reader-perception patterns are consistent with theoretical accounts of reduced processing demands and chunking-based mnemonic support. Using a corpus-based four-pronged framework, we compared four English translations of a canonical classical Chinese text Dizi Gui , a three-word rhyming couplet version (high prosodic regularity) and three control varieties. Results showed that the rhyming couplets exhibit extreme syntactic compression (mean length = 6.32 words), high lexical diversity (STTR = 47), and a Zipfian slope (−0.65) mirroring the ST (−0.66), indicating a similar macro-level pattern of lexical concentration. Reader data showed that the three-word rhyming version with supplementary annotation received the highest proportions of selections for perceived mnemonic effectiveness (64.35%), aesthetic appeal (42.61%), and popularization potential (57.39%). These converging findings suggest that prosodic regularity may reduce processing demands and support working-memory consolidation through chunking mechanisms, while direct experimental tests of these cognitive mechanisms remain necessary.