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Glite Dictionary
Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin

7 5.1
An American songwriter born in Russia who wrote many famous songs like White Christmas
  • proper noun
  • /ˈɪrvɪŋ bɜrˈlɪn/
: Irving Berlin
  • Irving Berlin wrote many of America's most beloved songs, including "White Christmas."

Examples

  • The legendary songwriter Irving Berlin created many timeless classics.

  • Scholars often study Irving Berlin as one of the greatest composers in American musical history.

  • The music of Irving Berlin continues to influence Broadway productions today.

  • Did you know that Irving Berlin wrote "White Christmas"?

  • Irving Berlin is celebrated for his song "God Bless America," which has become an anthem for many Americans.

  • Many consider Irving Berlin one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century.

  • Irving Berlin's contributions to musical theatre include hits like "Annie Get Your Gun" and "Top Hat."

Surface Forms

Irving Berlin main

Morphology

Irving + Berlin

This is a proper name referring to a specific individual (a songwriter), so its meaning (the identity and biographical information of Irving Berlin) is not compositionally derived from the parts. Knowing the constituent words — a personal name 'Irving' and the place/name 'Berlin' — does not allow a B1 learner to infer that it denotes a famous American songwriter, so the expression is opaque without prior exposure.

Etymology

Irving Berlin was born in Russia as 'Israel Beilin' and changed his name after he moved to the United States to sound more American. He wrote many popular songs in New York, including 'White Christmas', so today his name stands for one of America's most famous songwriters.