Drunken matelot tends to read a good book (3,9)
I believe the answer is:
old testament
'read a good book' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both related to communication as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?
'drunken matelot tends' is the wordplay.
'drunken' indicates anagramming the letters.
'matelot'+'tends'='matelottends'
'matelottends' anagrammed gives 'OLD TESTAMENT'.
'to' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for old testament that I've seen before include "Genesis, Exodus etc" , "Modest talent (anag.)" , "First part of the Bible" , "Books" , "Job, for example, to be found here" .)