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Gertrude Stein

Gertrude Stein

5 7.6
An American writer in Paris who wrote experimental books and hosted gatherings of writers and artists
  • proper noun
  • /ˈɡɜrtruːd staɪn/
  • Literature
: Gertrude Stein
  • Gertrude Stein famously wrote The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas about herself.

Examples

  • It is said that when Gertrude Stein died in 1946, Richard Wright became the most well-known expatriate writer in Paris.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Gertrude Stein's unique style challenged traditional narrative forms and has inspired countless authors.

  • Gertrude Stein said that it bothered her that in America, the home.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Gertrude Stein was a pioneering figure in Gertrude Stein modernist literature.

  • Many artists and writers regarded Gertrude Stein as a key influence during the early 20th century.

Surface Forms

Morphology

Gertrude + Stein

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the constituent strings 'Gertrude' and 'Stein' does not allow a B1 learner to infer the referent or biographical meaning. Proper nouns are arbitrary and referential rather than compositional, so the identity and attributes of the writer must be learned separately.

Etymology

Gertrude Stein belongs to an American writer who held lively gatherings in her Paris home where painters and writers met, talked and shared ideas. Because of these meetings and her unusual way of writing, Gertrude Stein became an important figure in modern art and 'experimental' literature.