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A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2
A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2

Chapter VI · Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2 is here in full — 136 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By J. M. D. (John Miller Dow) Meiklejohn • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
OUR OLDEST ENGLISH LITERATURE.
1.
+Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.
It covers, therefore, a period of nearly fourteen hundred years.
2.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2

Chapter VI · Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2 is here in full — 136 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
OUR OLDEST ENGLISH LITERATURE.
/ˈaʊər ˈoʊldəst ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ˈlɪtərətʃər/
Line 2
1.
Line 3
+Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.
/ˈlɪtərətʃər ðə ˈhɪstəri ʌv ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ˈlɪtərətʃər ɪz ɪn ɪts ɪkˈstɜːrnəl ˈæspekt æn əˈkaʊnt ʌv ðə best bʊks ɪn proʊz ənd ɪn vɜːrs ðæt hæv bɪn ˈrɪtən baɪ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ men ənd ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ˈwɪmən ənd ðɪs əˈkaʊnt bɪˈɡɪnz wɪð ə ˈpoʊəm brɔːt ˈoʊvər frʌm ðə ˈkɑːntənənt baɪ ˈaʊər ˈkʌntrimɪn ɪn ðə fɪfθ ˈsentʃəri ənd kʌmz daʊn tuː ðə taɪm ɪn wɪtʃ wiː laɪv/
Line 4
It covers, therefore, a period of nearly fourteen hundred years.
/ɪt ˈkʌvərz ˈðerfɔːr ə ˈpɪriəd ʌv ˈnɪrli ˈfɔːrˈtiːn ˈhʌndrəd jɪrz/
Line 5
2.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

Continent noun US /ˈkɑːntənənt/

one of the large landmasses of the earth

From this reading “+Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
countrymen noun US /ˈkʌntrimɪn/

plural of “countryman” — a man from your own country

From this reading “+Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
covers noun US /ˈkʌvərz/

plural of “cover” — a covering that serves to conceal or shelter something

From this reading “It covers, therefore, a period of nearly fourteen hundred years.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
external adjective US /ɪkˈstɜːrnəl/

happening or arising or located outside or beyond some limits or especially surface

From this reading “+Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fifth noun US /fɪfθ/

a quantity of liquor equal to one fifth of a United States gallon

From this reading “+Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fourteen noun US /ˈfɔːrˈtiːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of thirteen and one

From this reading “It covers, therefore, a period of nearly fourteen hundred years.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
oldest adjective US /ˈoʊldəst/

superlative of “old” — (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading “OUR OLDEST ENGLISH LITERATURE.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
prose noun US /proʊz/

ordinary writing as distinguished from verse

From this reading “+Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 55

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

1

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading 1.

Pending verification
2

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading 2.

Pending verification
adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
accountnounUS /əˈkaʊnt/

a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aspectnounUS /ˈæspekt/

a distinct feature or element in a problem

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beginsnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnz/

plural of “begin” — Israeli statesman (born in Russia) who (as prime minister of Israel) negotiated a peace treaty with Anwar Sadat (then the president of Egypt) (1913-1992)

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora curated lexicon
broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
centurynounUS /ˈsentʃəri/

a period of 100 years

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
comesnounUS /kʌmz/

plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ContinentnounUS /ˈkɑːntənənt/

one of the large landmasses of the earth

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
countrymennounUS /ˈkʌntrimɪn/

plural of “countryman” — a man from your own country

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
coversnounUS /ˈkʌvərz/

plural of “cover” — a covering that serves to conceal or shelter something

From this reading It covers, therefore, a period of nearly fourteen hundred years.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ENGLISHnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading OUR OLDEST ENGLISH LITERATURE.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
externaladjectiveUS /ɪkˈstɜːrnəl/

happening or arising or located outside or beyond some limits or especially surface

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fifthnounUS /fɪfθ/

a quantity of liquor equal to one fifth of a United States gallon

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fourteennounUS /ˈfɔːrˈtiːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of thirteen and one

From this reading It covers, therefore, a period of nearly fourteen hundred years.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/

ten 10s

From this reading It covers, therefore, a period of nearly fourteen hundred years.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It covers, therefore, a period of nearly fourteen hundred years.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
LITERATUREnounUS /ˈlɪtərətʃər/

creative writing of recognized artistic value

From this reading OUR OLDEST ENGLISH LITERATURE.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
liveverbUS /laɪv/

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nearlyadverbUS /ˈnɪrli/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading It covers, therefore, a period of nearly fourteen hundred years.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OLDESTadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldəst/

superlative of “old” — (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading OUR OLDEST ENGLISH LITERATURE.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OURdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading OUR OLDEST ENGLISH LITERATURE.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
periodnounUS /ˈpɪriəd/

an amount of time

From this reading It covers, therefore, a period of nearly fourteen hundred years.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
poemnounUS /ˈpoʊəm/

a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
prosenounUS /proʊz/

ordinary writing as distinguished from verse

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading It covers, therefore, a period of nearly fourteen hundred years.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
versenounUS /vɜːrs/

literature in metrical form

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
writtenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtən/

set down in writing in any of various ways

From this reading +Literature.+-- The history of English Literature is, in its external aspect, an account of the best books in prose and in verse that have been written by English men and English women; and this account begins with a poem brought over from the Continent by our countrymen in the fifth century, and comes down to the time in which we live.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading It covers, therefore, a period of nearly fourteen hundred years.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 6 of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2 by J. M. D. (John Miller Dow) Meiklejohn holds 136 sentences, grouped into 28 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 6 of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2 contain?

Chapter 6 holds 136 sentences of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 6 of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2 by J. M. D. (John Miller Dow) Meiklejohn exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 136 sentences, grouped into 28 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 6 of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2?

Work through the 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 28 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 6 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 6 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2

Common questions about reading A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2 by J. M. D. (John Miller Dow) Meiklejohn on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2?

Yes. All 4412 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21665 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #21665, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2 take to read?

About 367 minutes of reading across 883 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2 section by section

How to work through A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 16 chapters of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2 to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Periods
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
English
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Living
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Languages
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Brief History of the English Language — Vol. 2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.