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The humour of Russia
The humour of Russia

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of The humour of Russia is here in full — 390 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/78 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.
What if he is a Kammerjunker!
That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.
Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.
After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The humour of Russia

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of The humour of Russia is here in full — 390 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/78 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.
Line 2
What if he is a Kammerjunker!
Line 3
That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.
Line 4
Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.
Line 5
After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

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.

cough verb US /kɑːf/

exhale abruptly, as when one has a chest cold or congestion

From this reading “After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.”

December noun US /dɪˈsembər/

the last (12th) month of the year

pick verb US /pɪk/

select carefully from a group

From this reading “That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.”

smell noun US /smel/

the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form

From this reading “After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.”

sneeze noun US /sniːz/

a symptom consisting of the involuntary expulsion of air from the nose

From this reading “After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.”

tangible adjective US /ˈtændʒəbəl/

perceptible by the senses especially the sense of touch

From this reading “That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.”

title noun US /ˈtaɪtəl/

a heading that names a statute or legislative bill; may give a brief summary of the matters it deals with

From this reading “That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.”

wedding noun US /ˈwedɪŋ/

the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed

From this reading “_December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.”

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.

pick up verb + adjective

take and lift upward

In this reading “That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.”

in the middle preposition + article + noun counted as “in … middle”

In this reading “Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.”

All words in this reading · 62

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.

3rd

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

From this reading _December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading _December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.

AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

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 After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

anybodypronounUS /ˈenibədi/

any person at all

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading _December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

cannot

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

From this reading _December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.

coughverbUS /kɑːf/

exhale abruptly, as when one has a chest cold or congestion

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/

the last (12th) month of the year

From this reading _December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.

doesn't

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

From this reading Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

eatverbUS /iːt/

take in solid food

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

else's

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

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

eyenounUS /aɪ/

the organ of sight

From this reading Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

foreheadnounUS /ˈfɔːrhed/

the part of the face above the eyes

From this reading Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/

coins made of gold

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading What if he is a Kammerjunker!

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading What if he is a Kammerjunker!

impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading _December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading What if he is a Kammerjunker!

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading _December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.

it's

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

From this reading _December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

Kammerjunker

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

From this reading What if he is a Kammerjunker!

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

middlenounUS /ˈmɪdəl/

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

minepronounUS /maɪn/

the one or ones belonging to the person speaking

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

nosenounUS /noʊz/

the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

pickverbUS /pɪk/

select carefully from a group

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

sha'n't

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

From this reading _December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.

smellnounUS /smel/

the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

sneezenounUS /sniːz/

a symptom consisting of the involuntary expulsion of air from the nose

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

tangibleadjectiveUS /ˈtændʒəbəl/

perceptible by the senses especially the sense of touch

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

That's

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

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading _December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

thirdnounUS /θɜːrd/

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

titlenounUS /ˈtaɪtəl/

a heading that names a statute or legislative bill; may give a brief summary of the matters it deals with

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

weddingnounUS /ˈwedɪŋ/

the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed

From this reading _December 3rd._ It cannot be; it’s impossible; there sha’n’t be a wedding.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What if he is a Kammerjunker!

WhynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading Why, his being a Kammerjunker doesn’t give him a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading After all, his nose is not made of gold; it’s just like mine or anybody else’s; after all, he has it to smell with, not to eat with; to sneeze with, not to cough with.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading That’s nothing more than a title; it’s not a tangible thing that you can pick up in your hand.

Chapter 9 of The humour of Russia by E. L. (Ethel Lillian) [Translator] Voynich holds 390 sentences, grouped into 78 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 9 of The humour of Russia contain?

Chapter 9 holds 390 sentences of The humour of Russia, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of The humour of Russia by E. L. (Ethel Lillian) [Translator] Voynich exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 390 sentences, grouped into 78 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 9 of The humour of Russia?

Work through the 78 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 78 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 The humour of Russia

Common questions about reading The humour of Russia by E. L. (Ethel Lillian) [Translator] Voynich on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The humour of Russia?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The humour of Russia is used?

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

How long does The humour of Russia take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The humour of Russia section by section

How to work through The humour of Russia section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 The humour of Russia

Words and structures a reader meets early in The humour of Russia, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of The humour of Russia, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of The humour of Russia, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of The humour of Russia, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.