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Glite Dictionary
John T. Scopes

John T. Scopes

1 8.0
An American high school teacher tried in 1925 for teaching evolution in Tennessee
  • proper noun
: John T. Scopes
  • John T. Scopes became famous after being charged in the Scopes Trial of 1925.

Examples

  • The trial of John T. Scopes became a landmark case in American history.

  • The controversy surrounding John T. Scopes highlighted national debates over science and religion.

  • Many history textbooks discuss the significance of the case involving John T. Scopes.

  • Did John T. Scopes really challenge the teaching of evolution?

  • John T. Scopes became famous after being charged in the Scopes Trial of 1925.

  • Many history textbooks discuss the significance of the case involving John T. Scopes.

  • The trial of John T. Scopes became a landmark case in American history.

Surface Forms

John T. Scopes main

Morphology

John + T. + Scopes

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical individual and legal case; knowing the constituent parts 'John', 'T.' and 'Scopes' does not convey his identity or the trial's significance. Proper names are essentially arbitrary and non-compositional, so a B1 learner who knows the words but has not encountered the name cannot derive the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

John T. Scopes was an American schoolteacher who became famous after the 1925 'Scopes Trial' when he was put on trial for teaching evolution. That's why his name today often stands for the public fight over teaching science and religion in schools.