Beethoven, Ludwig van
- proper noun
- /ˈbeɪtoʊvən/
- Despite becoming deaf, Beethoven composed some of his most famous works later in life.
Examples
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The orchestra performed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony to a standing ovation.
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Many consider Beethoven to be the greatest composer of all time.
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The symphonies of Beethoven, Ludwig van are timeless.
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Did Beethoven, Ludwig van really compose while deaf?
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Despite becoming deaf, Beethoven composed some of his most famous works later in life.
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Many consider Beethoven to be the greatest composer of all time.
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The orchestra performed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony to a standing ovation.
Synonyms
75
3.4
A German composer and pianist famous for great symphonies
3
3.9
A German composer and pianist who wrote famous symphonies and kept composing after he became deaf
Surface Forms
Morphology
Beethoven, + Ludwig + van
This is a proper name (a personal name) rather than a compositional phrase, so the biographical meaning 'a German composer who continued composing despite losing his hearing' cannot be derived from the individual constituents. Even if a learner knows the components 'Ludwig' or 'van' as words, those elements do not transparently convey the identity or life facts of Beethoven, making the expression unpredictable for learners.
Etymology
Beethoven, Ludwig van was a German composer who kept writing music after he lost his hearing, so imagine a man who could not hear yet still 'heard' whole symphonies in his head. That's why his name now stands for a 'great composer' and for 'the power to create despite difficulty'.