Chapter 11 of The American Language is here in full — 85 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XI
Chapter 11 of The American Language is here in full — 85 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
cag, 250, 252. Cahn, 280. Caillé, 274. Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103. California-r, 171. calk, 260. called to the bar, /vp./, 108.
Chapter 11 of The American Language is here in full — 85 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/17 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
From this reading “California-r, 171. calk, 260. called to the bar, /vp./, 108.”
make a mathematical calculation or computation
From this reading “Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.”
a system of timekeeping that defines the beginning and length and divisions of the year
From this reading “Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.”
young of domestic cattle
From this reading “Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.”
a degree or grade of excellence or worth
From this reading “Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.”
made of calico or resembling calico in being patterned
From this reading “Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.”
provide with calks
From this reading “California-r, 171. calk, 260. called to the bar, /vp./, 108.”
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading “California-r, 171. calk, 260. called to the bar, /vp./, 108.”
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.
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading California-r, 171. calk, 260. called to the bar, /vp./, 108.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading California-r, 171. calk, 260. called to the bar, /vp./, 108.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading cag, 250, 252.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading cag, 250, 252.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Caillé, 274.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cahn, 280.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
From this reading California-r, 171. calk, 260. called to the bar, /vp./, 108.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading cag, 250, 252.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cahn, 280.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Caillé, 274.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
make a mathematical calculation or computation
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
a system of timekeeping that defines the beginning and length and divisions of the year
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
young of domestic cattle
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
a degree or grade of excellence or worth
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
a degree or grade of excellence or worth
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
made of calico or resembling calico in being patterned
From this reading Cains, 283. cake-walk, 81. calaboose, 30, 43. calamity-howler, 81. calculate, 31. calendar, 97. calf, 173. caliber, 242, 257, 260, 261. calibre, 242, 250, 257. calico, 103.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading California-r, 171. calk, 260. called to the bar, /vp./, 108.
provide with calks
From this reading California-r, 171. calk, 260. called to the bar, /vp./, 108.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading California-r, 171. calk, 260. called to the bar, /vp./, 108.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading California-r, 171. calk, 260. called to the bar, /vp./, 108.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading California-r, 171. calk, 260. called to the bar, /vp./, 108.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading California-r, 171. calk, 260. called to the bar, /vp./, 108.
Chapter 11 of The American Language by H. L. (Henry Louis) Mencken holds 85 sentences, grouped into 17 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.
Chapter 11 holds 85 sentences of The American Language, unabridged, divided into 17 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 11 of The American Language by H. L. (Henry Louis) Mencken exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 85 sentences, grouped into 17 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.
Work through the 17 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 17 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 11 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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About 579 minutes of reading across 1391 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
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Words and structures a reader meets early in The American Language, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
