Joseph Conrad

3 4.9

An English writer born in Poland who is famous for sea stories

proper noun

: Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad wrote 'Heart of Darkness' in 1899.

Examples

Heart of Darkness, one of Joseph Conrad's most famous works, is still widely studied today.
Many critics consider Joseph Conrad a master of English prose despite his Polish origins.
The complex moral dilemmas in Joseph Conrad's novels have fascinated readers for generations.
Many consider Joseph Conrad one of the greatest novelists of the 20th century.
Heart of Darkness, one of Joseph Conrad's most famous works, is still widely studied today.
Many critics consider Joseph Conrad a master of English prose despite his Polish origins.
The complex moral dilemmas in Joseph Conrad's novels have fascinated readers for generations.

Surface Forms

Joseph Conrad main

Morphology

Joseph + Conrad

This is a proper name referring to a specific person; knowing the separate names 'Joseph' and 'Conrad' does not allow a B1 learner to infer the biographical information or that this refers to an English novelist. Personal names are arbitrary referents rather than compositional expressions, so the meaning is not derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Joseph Conrad was born in Poland but spent many years working on ships and learned 'English' as an adult, so he wrote strong stories about the sea and people facing difficult moral choices. That's why his name now brings to mind 'sea stories' and a bold, original way of writing.