Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Oxford Book of Ballads is here in full — 35 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
NO. PAGE 1. Thomas the Rhymer 1 2. Tam Lin 4 3. Sir Cawline 14 4.
The Oxford Book of Ballads
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Oxford Book of Ballads is here in full — 35 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
NO.
PAGE
1.
Thomas
the
Rhymer
1
2.
Tam
Lin
4
3.
Sir
Cawline
14
4.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
The Oxford Book of Ballads
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Oxford Book of Ballads is here in full — 35 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/7 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
Line 1
NO.
/noʊ/
Line 2
PAGE
1.
Line 3
Thomas
the
Rhymer
1
2.
Line 4
Tam
Lin
4
3.
Line 5
Sir
Cawline
14
4.
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.
Lin
noun
US /lɪn/
United States sculptor and architect whose public works include the memorial to veterans of the Vietnam War in Washington (born in 1959)
From this reading “Tam Lin 4 3.”
one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading “PAGE 1.”
Rhymer
noun
US /ˈraɪmər/
a writer who composes rhymes; a maker of poor verses (usually used as terms of contempt for minor or inferior poets)
From this reading “Thomas the Rhymer 1 2.”
term of address for a man
From this reading “Sir Cawline 14 4.”
Tam
noun
US /tæm/
a woolen cap of Scottish origin
From this reading “Tam Lin 4 3.”
United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)
From this reading “Thomas the Rhymer 1 2.”
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.
All words in this reading · 14
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.
1
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PAGE 1.
14
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Cawline 14 4.
2
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thomas the Rhymer 1 2.
3
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tam Lin 4 3.
4
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tam Lin 4 3.
Cawline
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Cawline 14 4.
LinnounUS /lɪn/
United States sculptor and architect whose public works include the memorial to veterans of the Vietnam War in Washington (born in 1959)
From this reading Tam Lin 4 3.
not any; not one
From this reading NO.
one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading PAGE 1.
RhymernounUS /ˈraɪmər/
a writer who composes rhymes; a maker of poor verses (usually used as terms of contempt for minor or inferior poets)
From this reading Thomas the Rhymer 1 2.
term of address for a man
From this reading Sir Cawline 14 4.
TamnounUS /tæm/
a woolen cap of Scottish origin
From this reading Tam Lin 4 3.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Thomas the Rhymer 1 2.
United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)
From this reading Thomas the Rhymer 1 2.
Chapter 1 of The Oxford Book of Ballads by Arthur [Editor] Quiller-Couch holds 35 sentences, grouped into 7 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 1 of The Oxford Book of Ballads contain?
Chapter 1 holds 35 sentences of The Oxford Book of Ballads, unabridged, divided into 7 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Oxford Book of Ballads by Arthur [Editor] Quiller-Couch exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 35 sentences, grouped into 7 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 1 of The Oxford Book of Ballads?
Work through the 7 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 7 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 1 be read aloud to me?
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Oxford Book of Ballads
Common questions about reading The Oxford Book of Ballads by Arthur [Editor] Quiller-Couch on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Is this the complete text of The Oxford Book of Ballads?
Yes. All 7181 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #44593 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Which edition of The Oxford Book of Ballads is used?
Project Gutenberg eBook #44593, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
How long does The Oxford Book of Ballads take to read?
About 598 minutes of reading across 1437 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to read The Oxford Book of Ballads section by section
How to work through The Oxford Book of Ballads section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
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Open a chapter
Choose one of the 17 chapters of The Oxford Book of Ballads to begin.
-
Read one section
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
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Listen and tap
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Vocabulary met early in The Oxford Book of Ballads
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Oxford Book of Ballads, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
- Thomas
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Oxford Book of Ballads; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Rhymer
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Oxford Book of Ballads; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Cawline
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Oxford Book of Ballads; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Aldingar
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Oxford Book of Ballads; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.