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Jamesian

Jamesian

1 9.5
Like Henry James's writing, showing careful attention to characters' thoughts and social detail
  • adjective
  • /ˈdʒeɪmz.i.ən/
  • Literature
: jamesiano
  • The novel's intricate character development and psychological depth reflect a truly Jamesian style.

Let us face things exactly as they are, she writes in one of her many Jamesian sentences.

Examples

  • West's admiration for Henry James is well documented, and Jenny has frequently been considered a Jamesian narrator, positioned from one limited point of view.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Jamesian scholars traditionally trace this condition either to the emotional rigor of James's family upbringing or to the "homosexual panic" of the author.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Let us face things exactly as they are, she writes in one of her many Jamesian sentences.

  • It's an accurate reading of a very Jamesian situation, but one in which the underlying passion and the shattering conclusion are muted.

    Blog text (20)
  • Leon said to me, not long ago, talking of younger Jamesian scholars and of his own achievement: "They'll soon be rewriting me."

    Academic text (1997)
  • Another Jamesian variation on the ideologem of loss is his novel The Ambassadors (1903).

    Academic text (2003)
  • He thought about the other transformation: how the cheap scoundrel of 1871 in Watch and Ward became a finely responsive Jamesian gentleman by 1910.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Critics often praise her writing for its Jamesian qualities, particularly its focus on inner thoughts.

  • His use of detailed descriptions and complex narratives shows a Jamesian approach to storytelling.

Surface Forms

Jamesian positive

Morphology

Jamesian = James (transparent) = James + ian

The adjective is formed by adding the productive suffix '-ian' to the proper name 'James', clearly meaning 'relating to James'.

Etymology

Jamesian comes from the name James plus the ending -ian, which means 'of or relating to', just like Victorian means 'of Queen Victoria'. A 'Jamesian' novel is named after Henry James, so it pays close attention to characters' inner lives and to small social details.