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Glite Dictionary
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

7.8
A German writer who wrote poems, plays, and novels
  • proper noun
translation icon : Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
  • Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is best known for his tragic play "Faust."

Examples

  • Many scholars consider Johann Wolfgang von Goethe a central figure in German literature.

  • The works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe have been translated into numerous languages.

  • Did you know that Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote 'Faust'?

  • Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is often considered a pioneer of Romanticism.

  • Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is best known for his tragic play "Faust."

  • Many scholars consider Johann Wolfgang von Goethe a central figure in German literature.

  • The works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe have been translated into numerous languages.

Synonyms

Goethe
vsJohann Wolfgang von Goethe
  • Literature
12 7.6

A famous German writer and poet

is the full formal name while the other is the shorter family name

Surface Forms

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe main

Morphology

Johann + Wolfgang + von + Goethe

This is a full proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the individual name components ('Johann', 'Wolfgang', 'von', 'Goethe') does not let a B1 learner infer that the referent is a famous German poet/playwright/novelist. Proper names are referential rather than compositional, so the specific biographical meaning is unpredictable from the parts.

Etymology

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a famous German writer who wrote the play 'Faust', a story about a man who makes a deal with the devil. Because he wrote many important poems, plays, and books about people and nature, people today call him one of the greatest writers in Western literature.