Washington Irving

1 6.5

An American writer who wrote short stories like 'Rip Van Winkle' and 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'

proper noun
/ˈwɔʃɪŋtən ˈɪrvɪŋ/

: Washington Irving

'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' is one of Washington Irving's most famous works.

Examples

Many literary scholars regard Washington Irving as a pioneer of American fiction.
The famous author Washington Irving wrote many classic tales.
Washington Irving's stories have captivated readers for generations.
He is Washington Irving.
'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' is one of Washington Irving's most famous works.
Washington Irving's stories have captivated readers for generations.
Many literary scholars regard Washington Irving as a pioneer of American fiction.

Surface Forms

Washington Irving main

Morphology

Washington + Irving

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person, so its referential meaning (an American writer known for Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow) cannot be derived from the constituent words. Knowing 'Washington' and 'Irving' as words or names does not allow a B1 learner to infer the biographical or literary sense; the association is arbitrary and must be learned.

Etymology

The writer Washington Irving was named after the American leader George Washington by his parents. He became famous for short stories like 'Rip Van Winkle' and 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow', so his name now stands for an early American writer of strange, spooky tales.