Marcel Proust

3 7.5

A French writer who wrote the long book In Search of Lost Time

proper noun
/mɑrˈsɛl pruːst/

: Marcel Proust

Marcel Proust wrote extensively about memory and time.

Examples

My favorite novel by Marcel Proust is 'Swann's Way'.
Many consider Marcel Proust one of the greatest novelists of the 20th century.
Many literary scholars have studied Marcel Proust and his influence on modern fiction.
My favorite novel by Marcel Proust is 'Swann's Way'.
References to Marcel Proust often appear in discussions on memory and time in literature.
Many literary scholars have studied Marcel Proust and his influence on modern fiction.
Many consider Marcel Proust one of the greatest novelists of the 20th century.

Surface Forms

Marcel Proust main

Morphology

Marcel + Proust

This is a referential proper name: knowing the constituent names 'Marcel' and 'Proust' does not allow a learner to infer that the phrase denotes a specific French novelist or the biographical details given. Proper nouns are arbitrary labels for individuals rather than compositional phrases, so the meaning cannot be derived from the parts.

Etymology

Marcel Proust was a French writer known for the long book 'In Search of Lost Time'. In one famous scene, the taste of a 'madeleine' cookie suddenly brings back a flood of childhood 'memory'. That's why his name often stands for deep, personal 'memory' or long, careful thinking about the past.