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De turkey and de law
De turkey and de law

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of De turkey and de law is here in full — 483 sentences across 97 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for De turkey and de law
Context Illustration Reading 1/96 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MRS.
BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.
I done told her and told her to come straight home from her work.
Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.
She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.
0:00 / 0:00
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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.

De turkey and de law

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of De turkey and de law is here in full — 483 sentences across 97 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/96 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MRS.
/ˈmɪsɪz/
Line 2
BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.
Line 3
I done told her and told her to come straight home from her work.
/aɪ dʌn toʊld hɜːr ənd toʊld hɜːr tuː kʌm streɪt hoʊm frʌm hɜːr wɜːrk/
Line 4
Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.
Line 5
She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

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.

blunt adjective US /blʌnt/

having a broad or rounded end

From this reading “BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.”

Corrected adjective US /kərˈektəd/

having something undesirable neutralized

From this reading “She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.”

Daisy's noun US /ˈdeɪziz/

possessive form of “daisy” — any of numerous composite plants having flower heads with well-developed ray flowers usually arranged in a single whorl

From this reading “BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.”

dis noun US /dɪs/

(Roman mythology) god of the underworld; counterpart of Greek Hades

From this reading “BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.”

gums noun US /ɡʌmz/

plural of “gum” — a preparation (usually made of sweetened chicle) for chewing

From this reading “Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.”

mess noun US /mes/

a state of confusion and disorderliness

From this reading “She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.”

snore verb US /snɔːr/

breathe noisily during one's sleep

From this reading “BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.”

trashy adjective US /ˈtræʃi/

cheap and inferior; of no value

From this reading “Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.”

All words in this reading · 59

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.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

BLUNTadjectiveUS /blʌnt/

having a broad or rounded end

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading I done told her and told her to come straight home from her work.

CorrectedadjectiveUS /kərˈektəd/

having something undesirable neutralized

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

Daisy'snounUS /ˈdeɪziz/

possessive form of “daisy” — any of numerous composite plants having flower heads with well-developed ray flowers usually arranged in a single whorl

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

datnounUS /dæt/

a digital tape recording of sound

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

dem

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

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

disnounUS /dɪs/

(Roman mythology) god of the underworld; counterpart of Greek Hades

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading I done told her and told her to come straight home from her work.

folksnounUS /foʊks/

your parents

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I done told her and told her to come straight home from her work.

gumsnounUS /ɡʌmz/

plural of “gum” — a preparation (usually made of sweetened chicle) for chewing

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading I done told her and told her to come straight home from her work.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading I done told her and told her to come straight home from her work.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I done told her and told her to come straight home from her work.

I'll

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

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

JustadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

killverbUS /kɪl/

cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

messnounUS /mes/

a state of confusion and disorderliness

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

missingadjectiveUS /ˈmɪsɪŋ/

not able to be found

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

MRSnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading MRS.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

Naw

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

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

nigger

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

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

niggers

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

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/

being on the outside or further from a center

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

praipsin

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

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

scornin

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

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

sho

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

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

skinnounUS /skɪn/

a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

snoreverbUS /snɔːr/

breathe noisily during one's sleep

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

spacenounUS /speɪs/

the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

stopverbUS /stɑːp/

come to a halt, stop moving

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

storenounUS /stɔːr/

a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

straightadjectiveUS /streɪt/

successive (without a break)

From this reading I done told her and told her to come straight home from her work.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I done told her and told her to come straight home from her work.

todaynounUS /təˈdeɪ/

the present time or age

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading I done told her and told her to come straight home from her work.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

trashyadjectiveUS /ˈtræʃi/

cheap and inferior; of no value

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading She better not leave them white [Corrected missing space.] folks today to come praipsin over here scornin her name all up wid dis nigger mess--do, I'll kill her.

wid

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

From this reading Naw, she had to stop by dat store and skin her gums back wid dem trashy niggers.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading I done told her and told her to come straight home from her work.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading BLUNT Just as sho as you snore, and they better leave Daisy's name outer dis too.

Chapter 3 of De turkey and de law by Zora Neale Hurston holds 483 sentences, grouped into 97 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 3 of De turkey and de law contain?

Chapter 3 holds 483 sentences of De turkey and de law, unabridged, divided into 97 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of De turkey and de law by Zora Neale Hurston exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 483 sentences, grouped into 97 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 3 of De turkey and de law?

Work through the 97 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 97 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 De turkey and de law

Common questions about reading De turkey and de law by Zora Neale Hurston on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of De turkey and de law?

Yes. All 1888 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #22146 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of De turkey and de law is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #22146, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does De turkey and de law take to read?

About 157 minutes of reading across 378 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read De turkey and de law section by section

How to work through De turkey and de law section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 4 chapters of De turkey and de law 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 De turkey and de law

Words and structures a reader meets early in De turkey and de law, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Weston
A word that appears in the opening chapter of De turkey and de law; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Young
A word that appears in the opening chapter of De turkey and de law; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bully
A word that appears in the opening chapter of De turkey and de law; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Methodist
A word that appears in the opening chapter of De turkey and de law; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.