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Glite Dictionary
Al Jolson

Al Jolson

4 8.8
A Russian-born American singer and entertainer who starred in the first full-length talking film, The Jazz Singer
  • proper noun
  • /æl ˈdʒoʊlsən/
: Al Jolson
  • The performance of Al Jolson in 'The Jazz Singer' marked a turning point in cinema history.

Examples

  • The performance of Al Jolson in 'The Jazz Singer' marked a turning point in cinema history.

  • Many singers of the twentieth century cited Al Jolson as a major influence on their careers.

  • Al Jolson is often credited as the world's greatest entertainer of his era.

  • Is Al Jolson still remembered today?

  • You should watch a documentary about Al Jolson!

  • Al Jolson is often credited as the world's greatest entertainer of his era.

  • Many singers of the twentieth century cited Al Jolson as a major influence on their careers.

Surface Forms

Al Jolson main

Morphology

Al + Jolson

This is a referential proper name for a specific historical person rather than a compositional phrase. Knowing the surface tokens 'Al' and 'Jolson' (which are names, not semantically transparent lexical items) does not allow a B1 learner to infer the person’s identity or biography, so the meaning must be learned arbitrarily.

Etymology

Al Jolson belongs to a Russian-born American singer and entertainer who became famous for loud, emotional performances. He also starred in the first talking movie, 'The Jazz Singer', so Al Jolson now reminds people of early sound films and big stage shows.