Uncle Remus

2 9.9

A fictional old Black man who tells folk stories from the American South

proper noun
/ˈʌŋkəl ˈriːməs/

Literature

: Tío Remus

The character Uncle Remus is famous for telling tales about Br'er Rabbit.

Examples

Have you ever read about Uncle Remus?
Disney adapted the character of Uncle Remus in the film "Song of the South."
Literature scholars often discuss the influence of Uncle Remus on American folklore.
Many of the classic Br'er Rabbit stories are told by Uncle Remus in Harris's books.
The stories of Uncle Remus are beloved by many.
In many American families, the stories of Uncle Remus have been cherished for generations.
Children enjoy listening to Uncle Remus narrate stories filled with adventure and moral lessons.

Surface Forms

Uncle Remus main

Morphology

Uncle + Remus

This is a proper name: knowing 'uncle' and the name 'Remus' only yields the literal idea of an uncle called Remus and does not convey the specific literary referent, narratorial role, or the racial and regional/historical connotations. A B1 learner who knows the constituents would not be able to derive that this is a fictional elderly Black storyteller from the American South, so the meaning is not predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Uncle Remus was created by Joel Chandler Harris as an old Black man who sits and tells folk stories like Br'er Rabbit. The strong image of him as a warm, wise man is why Uncle Remus now stands for a friendly 'storyteller' from the American South.