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Glite Dictionary
Sebastian Vizcaino

Sebastian Vizcaino

1 9.9
A Spanish explorer who first mapped much of the California coast
  • proper noun
: Sebastián Vizcaíno
  • The famous Spanish explorer Sebastian Vizcaino mapped the California coastline.

Examples

  • Many of California’s place names were given by Sebastian Vizcaino on his voyages.

  • Historians credit Sebastian Vizcaino with documenting the region’s geography and Native American settlements.

  • Sebastian Vizcaino mapped much of the California coastline during his expedition in the early 17th century.

  • Did Sebastian Vizcaino discover any new lands during his voyages?

  • Sebastian Vizcaino mapped much of the California coastline during his expedition in the early 17th century.

  • Historians credit Sebastian Vizcaino with documenting the region’s geography and Native American settlements.

  • Many of California’s place names were given by Sebastian Vizcaino on his voyages.

Surface Forms

Sebastian Vizcaino main

Morphology

Sebastian + Vizcaino

This is a referential proper name composed of personal names that carry no compositional cues about occupation or actions. Even if a B1 learner recognizes the constituent names, they cannot infer the encyclopedic meaning 'Spanish explorer who mapped the California coast', so the expression is non-compositional and unpredictable.

Etymology

Sebastian Vizcaino sailed along the California coast in the early 1600s, drawing maps and giving Spanish names to many bays and towns. That's why he is remembered as the first European to 'map' California's coast.