Sir James Matthew Barrie

1 7.1

A Scottish writer who created Peter Pan and wrote plays and novels

proper noun

: Sir James Matthew Barrie

Sir James Matthew Barrie is celebrated for his timeless character Peter Pan, who never grows up.

Examples

Sir James Matthew Barrie created Peter Pan.
Many literary scholars study the works of Sir James Matthew Barrie to understand early 20th-century British theatre.
A bronze statue of Sir James Matthew Barrie stands in his hometown, honoring his contributions to literature.
Many children love the stories of Sir James Matthew Barrie!
Sir James Matthew Barrie is renowned for creating the iconic character Peter Pan, representing eternal childhood.
The works of Sir James Matthew Barrie are a fundamental part of children's literature and theatre studies.
In honor of his legacy, many schools teach the plays written by Sir James Matthew Barrie.

Surface Forms

Sir James Matthew Barrie main

Morphology

Sir + James + Matthew + Barrie

This is a full proper name (a titled personal name). Knowing the constituents ('Sir' as a title and the given/surname tokens) only tells a learner that this is a person with an honorific, but provides no way to derive the biographical meaning (Scottish dramatist, creator of Peter Pan). Proper names are referential rather than compositional, so the specific identity and achievements are not predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Sir James Matthew Barrie is the Scottish writer best known as the creator of Peter Pan. He became friends with a group of boys whose games in a London park gave him the idea for a boy who 'never grows up', so today Barrie is remembered for that famous story.