John Smith

6 3.5

An English explorer and soldier who helped start the Jamestown colony in Virginia and met Pocahontas

proper noun

: John Smith

As a benchmark, CBF chose a score of 100 to indicate the state of the Bay when Captain John Smith arrived.
Captain John Smith
John Smith's map
John Smith's explorations

Examples

Using historic tools, methods, and indigenous woods, the boat builders and volunteers built a reproduction of John Smith's shallop in 2005.

Academic text (2007)
Captain John Smith was one of the original governing council members named by the principals of the Virginia Company.

Academic text (2007)
The National Park Service is planning a new unit honoring Captain John Smith.

Academic text (2007)
The story of Captain John Smith goes deeper than his meeting 10-year-old Pocahontas.

Academic text (2007)
John Smith deserves, perhaps, a place among the iconic founding fathers figures of the nation (Figure 17).

Academic text (2007)
As a council member in the Jamestown settlement and because of his explorations, his map, and its role in attracting settlers, John Smith helped shape his time and the future.

Academic text (2007)
Of the many associated festivities, one enthusiastically anticipated is the reenactment of Captain John Smith's voyages of exploration.

Academic text (2007)
Any American recognizes the name John Smith from studying colonial history in school.
The National Park Service is planning a new unit honoring Captain John Smith.
In December 1606, Captain John Smith led more than 100 settlers on three ships to America.

Surface Forms

John Smith main

Morphology

John + Smith

This is a proper name: knowing the constituents 'John' and 'Smith' only signals a person’s name but gives no information about the specific referent or biographical role (an English explorer associated with Jamestown). Proper names are arbitrary labels whose full meaning cannot be derived from their parts, so learners cannot predict this MWE’s specific meaning from the constituents.

Etymology

John Smith belongs to an English explorer and soldier born around 1580 who helped start the Jamestown colony in Virginia. He made maps, traded with local people, and is famous for his story with Pocahontas, so when you read John Smith it refers to that real early colonist and leader.