Shirley Temple

10 3.4

An American child actress who starred in 1930s movies and later became an ambassador

proper noun
/ˈʃɜrli ˈtɛmpəl/

: Shirley Temple

Everyone enjoyed watching the charming movies featuring the young star, Shirley Temple.

Examples

As a child actress, Shirley Temple became an iconic figure in Hollywood's golden age.
Everyone loved Shirley Temple for her charming performances.
As a child, Shirley Temple starred in many beloved Hollywood musicals.
Later in life, Shirley Temple served as a U.S. ambassador.
Many people remember Shirley Temple for her curly hair and cheerful songs.
Shirley Temple starred in many classic films during the 1930s.
In the 1930s, Shirley Temple received widespread acclaim for her performances in beloved films.

Surface Forms

Shirley Temple main

Morphology

Shirley + Temple

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; the literal meanings of the constituents ('Shirley' as a personal name and 'temple' as a religious building) do not combine to yield the biographical information 'American child actress/diplomat.' Knowing the constituent words therefore does not allow a B1 learner to infer the referent without prior cultural or encyclopedic knowledge, making it non-compositional and unpredictable.

Etymology

Shirley Temple is the name of a real American child star from the 1930s. She charmed audiences with her curly hair and happy songs, so the name now makes people think of a sweet, cheerful 'child actress'.