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Literary Blunders
Literary Blunders

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Literary Blunders is here in full — 92 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Henry B. (Henry Benjamin) Wheatley • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Literary Blunders
Context Illustration Reading 1/18 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BLUNDERS OF TRANSLATORS.
THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.
According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.
Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.
This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Literary Blunders

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Literary Blunders is here in full — 92 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BLUNDERS OF TRANSLATORS.
Line 2
THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.
Line 3
According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.
Line 4
Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.
Line 5
This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

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.

Books noun US /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading “According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.”

Velmora curated lexicon
Worthy adjective US /ˈwɜːr.ði/

Having or showing the qualities or abilities that merit recognition in character or magic.

From this reading “This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.”

Velmora curated lexicon

All words in this reading · 77

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.

a

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
According

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
among

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
an

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
and

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
are

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
at

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
author

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
bad

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
be

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
became

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
been

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
BLUNDERS

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

From this reading BLUNDERS OF TRANSLATORS.

Pending verification
booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Velmora curated lexicon
but

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
Cambridge

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
Colton

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
common

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
deficiencies

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
done

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
Dutch

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
England

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
English

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
enough

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
forget

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
French

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
German

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
had

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
half-starved

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
have

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
his

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
I

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
in

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
intimates

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
into

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
it

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
Italian

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
Lacon

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
learn

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
literature

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
long

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
made

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
mentions

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
moral

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
named

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
native

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
not

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
OF

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

From this reading BLUNDERS OF TRANSLATORS.

Pending verification
overset

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
point

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
popular

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
proverbial

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
proverbs

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
Render

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
Rendered

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
respecting

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
said

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
saying

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
so

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
sono

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
spite

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
that

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
THE

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
they

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
This

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
to

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

From this reading THE blunders of translators are so common that they have been made to point a moral in popular proverbs.

Pending verification
traditori

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
traduced

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
traduttori

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
traitors

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

From this reading According to an Italian saying _translators are traitors_ (``I traduttori sono traditori''); and books are said to be _done_ into English, _traduced_ in French, and _overset_ in Dutch.

Pending verification
translation

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
translator

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
TRANSLATORS

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

From this reading BLUNDERS OF TRANSLATORS.

Pending verification
voluminous

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
was

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

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Pending verification
who

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

From this reading Colton, the author of _Lacon_, mentions a half-starved German at Cambridge named Render, who had been long enough in England to forget German, but not long enough to learn English.

Pending verification
worthyadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːr.ði/

Having or showing the qualities or abilities that merit recognition in character or magic.

From this reading This worthy, in spite of his deficiencies, was a voluminous translator of his native literature, and it became a proverbial saying among his intimates respecting a bad translation that it was _Rendered_ into English.

Velmora curated lexicon

Chapter 3 of Literary Blunders by Henry B. (Henry Benjamin) Wheatley holds 92 sentences, grouped into 19 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 Literary Blunders contain?

Chapter 3 holds 92 sentences of Literary Blunders, unabridged, divided into 19 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of Literary Blunders by Henry B. (Henry Benjamin) Wheatley exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 92 sentences, grouped into 19 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 Literary Blunders?

Work through the 19 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 19 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 Literary Blunders

Common questions about reading Literary Blunders by Henry B. (Henry Benjamin) Wheatley on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Literary Blunders?

Yes. All 1578 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #371 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Literary Blunders is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #371, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Literary Blunders take to read?

About 131 minutes of reading across 316 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Literary Blunders section by section

How to work through Literary Blunders section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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Vocabulary met early in Literary Blunders

Words and structures a reader meets early in Literary Blunders, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Blunders
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Literary Blunders; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
General
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Literary Blunders; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Words
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Literary Blunders; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Blunder''
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Literary Blunders; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.