That Girl Montana: 40 words to know before you read it
The 40 words Marah Ellis Ryan uses again and again in That Girl Montana that are outside the 4,000 most common in English. Learn them first and the opening chapters read much more easily. Each comes with its pronunciation and a sentence from the book.
squaw75× in the book
She was giving the money and some directions to the Indian, when a word from a squaw drew her attention to the river.
canoe/kəˈnu/55× in the book
Why, I have gone alone in a canoe on a longer trail than we floated over, and I think I will again some day.
utter/ˈətɝ/33× in the book
… after a cool glance at them all, she walked directly past them and spoke to the tall Indian who had first uttered her name to the others.
kindly/ˈkaɪndɫi/31× in the book
Then the color swept upward over her face 11 as she met his kindly glance, and drawing herself a little straighter, she walked indifferently away.
reckon/ˈɹɛkən/27× in the book
I reckon you folks heard how Lee Holly—toughest man in the 3 length of the Columbia—was wiped off the living earth by her last week.”
flush/ˈfɫəʃ/27× in the book
The man she called Max bent his head and whispered something to her, at which her face flushed just a little and a tiny wrinkle crept between her straight, beautiful brows.
morrow/ˈmɑɹoʊ/26× in the book
“To-morrow I would ask that Black Bow and the chief Akkomi eat at our table.
queer/ˈkwɪɹ/26× in the book
While I was waiting for—Dan,” she said in a queer tone, and bent her head over the clay image.
miner/ˈmaɪnɝ/24× in the book
“Some miner rushing down to see the train go by,” remarked Mr. Haydon; but the girl did not answer.
helpless/ˈhɛɫpɫəs/23× in the book
… and swam out to the little fellow who had struggled to keep his head above water, but was fast growing helpless in the chill of the mountain river.
till/ˈtɪɫ/23× in the book
He prates about civilization and Eastern culture till I get weary sometimes.
clasp/ˈkɫæsp/21× in the book
Her face grew even more pale, and her hands clasped each other nervously.
evidently/ˈɛvədəntɫi/21× in the book
… and was carried bodily up to one of the lodges, while another squaw—evidently the mother—carried the little redskin who had caused all the commotion.
guardian/ˈɡɑɹdiən/21× in the book
murmured Mr. Lyster, as he eyed the stalwart form of the retreating guardian, who was so bent on guarding.
mutter/ˈmətɝ/21× in the book
she muttered, and all the color and bravado were gone from her face …
heap/ˈhip/20× in the book
Young ones of any sort do take a heap of looking after.
tremble/ˈtɹɛmbəɫ/20× in the book
Oh, well, never mind,” he added, as he saw the red mouth tremble, and tears show in her eyes as she looked at him.
clay/ˈkɫeɪ/20× in the book
At first all he could see were the hands—hands playing with a bit of wet clay—or so it seemed to him.
assent/əˈsɛnt/19× in the book
“We heard she was cleared of it,” assented the stranger.
commence/kəˈmɛns/18× in the book
“Only don’t commence by disliking, that’s all …
exclaim/ɪkˈskɫeɪm/18× in the book
“Well, now, he is good-natured to take it like that, and speak so beautiful,” she exclaimed, admiringly; “and you surely did try any man’s patience, Mr. Dan.
fancy/ˈfænsi/18× in the book
“If my stepson at times forgets what is due a gentleman in your house, do not fancy that I reflect on you in the slightest for it.
spoil/ˈspɔɪɫ/17× in the book
“In fact, I’m afraid she’ll be a nuisance, and spoil our jolly good time all the way home.
dollar/ˈdɑɫɝ/16× in the book
I’d rather lose a thousand dollars than meet them now!
paddle/ˈpædəɫ/16× in the book
He was not using the paddle, and his chin was resting on one clenched hand, while in the other he held something to which he was giving earnest attention.
brow/ˈbɹaʊ/16× in the book
He looked at her moodily from under his dark brows, and noticed the color flutter over her cheek and throat in an adorable way.
curt/ˈkɝt/15× in the book
With this curt reply, she turned her shoulder very coolly on the searcher for information.
supper/ˈsəpɝ/15× in the book
I’d give half my supper to know if she has killed herself with that ice-bath.”
ward/ˈwɔɹd/15× in the book
She’s a ward of mine.”
north/ˈnɔɹθ/14× in the book
That it had become the one topic of general interest in the community was due partly to the personality of the girl, and partly to the fact that the murdered man had been one of the most notorious in all that wild land extending north and west into British Columbia.
impatience/ˌɪmˈpeɪʃəns/14× in the book
said the other man, with a sort of impatience.
earnest/ˈɝnɪst/14× in the book
’Tana saw Mr. Haydon among them, in earnest conversation with the conductor; saw Max …
keen/ˈkin/14× in the book
Even the Indians were aroused from their lethargy, and watched with keen curiosity the approaching canoes.
devil/ˈdɛvəɫ/14× in the book
“I didn’t hear a word he said to her; but his eyes spoke strongly enough, poor devil!
fool/ˈfuɫ/14× in the book
“He—he might have thought it was nice, if you hadn’t been here with your fool speeches.
careless/ˈkɛɹɫəs/13× in the book
Her gaze rested lightly on the two strangers and their trophies of the chase, on the careless ferryman, and the few stragglers from the ranch and the cabins.
bead/ˈbid/13× in the book
… making remarks about the Indians, admiring particularly one boy’s beaded dress, and garnishing her remarks with a good deal of slang.
frown/ˈfɹaʊn/13× in the book
And it was not a woman at all,—only a girl of perhaps sixteen years instead—who shrank back into the gloom, and frowned on him with great, dark …
charm/ˈtʃɑɹm/13× in the book
… or so fittingly and picturesquely dressed, for Mr. Maxwell Lyster was artist enough to make the most of his many good points and to exhibit them all with charming unconsciousness.
tramp/ˈtɹæmp/12× in the book
… with their trophies of elk-horn and beaver paws, with their scarred outfit and a general air of elation gained from a successful “outing,” tramped down to the 2 little station after a last lingering view toward far hunting grounds.
Pronunciation: ipa-dict (MIT), from Wiktionary.
Read the book freeEvery sentence translated, natural audio, one-tap dictionary