Janis Joplin

15 3.8

An American rock and blues singer with a powerful, emotional voice and an icon of the 1960s

proper noun
/ˈdʒænɪs ˈdʒɒplɪn/

: Janis Joplin

Many critics consider Janis Joplin's performance at Woodstock to be legendary.

Examples

The music of Janis Joplin continues to inspire fans decades after her death.
Biographies have examined the turbulent life and career of Janis Joplin.
Janis Joplin is iconic.
I love Janis Joplin!
Many critics consider Janis Joplin's performance at Woodstock to be legendary.
The music of Janis Joplin continues to inspire fans decades after her death.
Biographies have examined the turbulent life and career of Janis Joplin.

Surface Forms

Janis Joplin main

Morphology

Janis + Joplin

This is a proper name referring to a specific individual (a singer) and its referential meaning cannot be derived from the literal constituents 'Janis' and 'Joplin' (which have no standalone lexical meanings). Knowing the separate words will not allow a B1 learner to infer the person's identity, biography, or cultural significance, so the expression is not compositional.

Etymology

Janis Joplin is remembered for her raw, powerful voice and wild stage style; one strong image is her singing loudly and pouring all her feeling into each song. That's why her name now stands for 'a strong, emotional singer' and is a symbol of the free spirit of the 1960s.