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History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne
History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne is here in full — 64 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Andrew Lang • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne
Context Illustration Reading 1/12 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
ALLITERATIVE ROMANCES AND POEMS.
Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.
Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.
The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.
Gawain and the Green Knight.
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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.

History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne is here in full — 64 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/12 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
ALLITERATIVE ROMANCES AND POEMS.
/əˈlɪtərətɪv roʊˈmænsɪz ənd ˈpoʊəmz/
Line 2
Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.
Line 3
Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.
Line 4
The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.
Line 5
Gawain and the Green Knight.
/ˈɡɑːwən ənd ðə ɡriːn naɪt/

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.

alliterative adjective US /əˈlɪtərətɪv/

having the same consonant at the beginning of each stressed syllable

From this reading “ALLITERATIVE ROMANCES AND POEMS.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Chaucer noun US /ˈtʃɔːsər/

English poet remembered as author of the Canterbury Tales (1340-1400)

From this reading “Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fourteenth adjective US /ˈfɔːrˈtiːnθ/

coming next after the thirteenth in position

From this reading “Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Gawain noun US /ˈɡɑːwən/

(Arthurian legend) a nephew of Arthur and one of the knights of the Round Table

From this reading “Gawain and the Green Knight.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rhyming adjective US /ˈraɪmɪŋ/

having corresponding sounds especially terminal sounds

From this reading “Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rhythm noun US /ˈrɪðəm/

the basic rhythmic unit in a piece of music

From this reading “The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
romances noun US /roʊˈmænsɪz/

plural of “romance” — a relationship between two lovers

From this reading “ALLITERATIVE ROMANCES AND POEMS.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ruf noun US /rʌf/

a terrorist group formed in the 1980s in Sierra Leone

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

fourteenth century adjective + noun

In this reading “Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.”

759 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 74

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ALLITERATIVEadjectiveUS /əˈlɪtərətɪv/

having the same consonant at the beginning of each stressed syllable

From this reading ALLITERATIVE ROMANCES AND POEMS.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading ALLITERATIVE ROMANCES AND POEMS.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Anglo-Saxonnoun

a native or inhabitant of England prior to the Norman Conquest

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bettre

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

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Pending verification
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
centurynounUS /ˈsentʃəri/

a period of 100 years

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
certainlyadverbUS /ˈsɜːrtənli/

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ChaucernounUS /ˈtʃɔːsər/

English poet remembered as author of the Canterbury Tales (1340-1400)

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
combinedadjectiveUS /kəmˈbaɪnd/

made or joined or united into one

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
commandnounUS /kəˈmænd/

an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
complicatedadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmpləkeɪtəd/

difficult to analyze or understand

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

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 Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
formsnounUS /fɔːrmz/

plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fourteenthadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrˈtiːnθ/

coming next after the thirteenth in position

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
GawainnounUS /ˈɡɑːwən/

(Arthurian legend) a nephew of Arthur and one of the knights of the Round Table

From this reading Gawain and the Green Knight.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
geste

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

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Pending verification
GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
GreennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading Gawain and the Green Knight.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
holde

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

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Pending verification
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

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 The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
KnightnounUS /naɪt/

originally a person of noble birth trained to arms and chivalry; today in Great Britain a person honored by the sovereign for personal merit

From this reading Gawain and the Green Knight.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lettre

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

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Pending verification
likedadjectiveUS /laɪkt/

found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form

From this reading The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
litel

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

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Pending verification
makesnounUS /meɪks/

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nat

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

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Pending verification
NenounUS /niː/

a colorless odorless gaseous element that give a red glow in a vacuum tube; one of the six inert gasses; occurs in the air in small amounts

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OpinionnounUS /əˈpɪnjən/

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
parsonnounUS /ˈpɑːrsən/

a person authorized to conduct religious worship

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
parson's

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

From this reading The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.

Pending verification
POEMSnounUS /ˈpoʊəmz/

plural of “poem” — a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines

From this reading ALLITERATIVE ROMANCES AND POEMS.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
poetsnounUS /ˈpoʊəts/

plural of “poet” — a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ramverbUS /ræm/

strike or drive against with a heavy impact

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rhymenounUS /raɪm/

correspondence in the sounds of two or more lines (especially final sounds)

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rhymingadjectiveUS /ˈraɪmɪŋ/

having corresponding sounds especially terminal sounds

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rhythmnounUS /ˈrɪðəm/

the basic rhythmic unit in a piece of music

From this reading The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ROMANCESnounUS /roʊˈmænsɪz/

plural of “romance” — a relationship between two lovers

From this reading ALLITERATIVE ROMANCES AND POEMS.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rufnounUS /rʌf/

a terrorist group formed in the 1980s in Sierra Leone

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rumnounUS /rʌm/

liquor distilled from fermented molasses

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rym

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

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Pending verification
sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
simpleadjectiveUS /ˈsɪmpəl/

having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Southren

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

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Pending verification
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.

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 Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
versenounUS /vɜːrs/

literature in metrical form

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The parson's Opinion is his own, not that of Chaucer, who certainly "liked rhyme," whether he liked alliterative rhythm or not.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Though English poets, in the fourteenth century, had a full command of rhyme, and of many forms, simple or complicated, of rhyming verse, there began a return to the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sometimes combined with rhyme.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wot

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

From this reading Chaucer, later, makes his parson say, I am a Southren man, I can nat geste--_rum, ram_, _ruf_--by lettre; Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.

Pending verification

Chapter 8 of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne by Andrew Lang holds 64 sentences, grouped into 13 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 8 of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne contain?

Chapter 8 holds 64 sentences of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne, unabridged, divided into 13 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne by Andrew Lang exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 64 sentences, grouped into 13 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 8 of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne?

Work through the 13 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 13 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.

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Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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.

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Common questions about reading History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne by Andrew Lang on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne?

Yes. All 8679 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #56613 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #56613, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1736 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne section by section

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Vocabulary met early in History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne

Words and structures a reader meets early in History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Literature
A word that appears in the opening chapter of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Every
A word that appears in the opening chapter of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Modern
A word that appears in the opening chapter of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Country
A word that appears in the opening chapter of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.