Ludwig van Beethoven
3
3.9
- proper noun
- /ˈluːd.wɪɡ væn ˈbeɪ.tə.hoʊv.ən/
- Ludwig van Beethoven is celebrated for his nine symphonies, which have influenced generations of composers.
Examples
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The life of Ludwig van Beethoven was marked by both triumph and adversity, particularly his struggle with deafness.
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Many consider Ludwig van Beethoven a genius of classical music.
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Many music lovers consider Ludwig van Beethoven the greatest composer of all time.
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Did Ludwig van Beethoven really compose while deaf?
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Ludwig van Beethoven is celebrated for his nine symphonies, which have influenced generations of composers.
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Many music lovers consider Ludwig van Beethoven the greatest composer of all time.
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The life of Ludwig van Beethoven was marked by both triumph and adversity, particularly his struggle with deafness.
Synonyms
75
3.4
A German composer and pianist famous for great symphonies
A German composer and pianist known for famous symphonies who kept composing after becoming deaf
Surface Forms
Morphology
Ludwig + van + Beethoven
This is a proper name composed of personal name elements; the literal meanings of 'Ludwig' and 'van' do not convey the referent's identity as a German composer or biographical information. Knowing the constituent words (or that 'van' is a name particle) does not allow a B1 learner to infer the MWE's meaning, so the expression is arbitrary/lexicalized and therefore opaque.
Etymology
Ludwig van Beethoven's name tells a simple story: the word van means 'from', so the family came 'from' a place called Beethoven. Today Ludwig van Beethoven is the famous composer who kept writing music after he became deaf, so his name now stands for great music and strong will.