Sontag
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun 1. A person: Susan Sontag, an American writer, essayist, literary critic, filmmaker, philosopher, and political activist, born in 1933 and known for her works on modern culture, photography, illness, and human rights.
Usage Notes
- The word "Sontag" is a proper noun, specifically a surname. When used in this context, it almost exclusively refers to the individual, Susan Sontag. It is capitalized.
- It functions as a singular noun. When referring to her body of work or ideas collectively, it is often used attributively (e.g., Sontag's essays, a Sontagian perspective).
Examples
- As a subject: wrote extensively about the ethics of photography.
- Showing possession: most famous essays are collected in "Against Interpretation."
- As an object: Many critics have been influenced by .
Advanced Usage
- The term can be used metonymically to represent a particular style of intellectual criticism or a set of ideas associated with her.
- His analysis of the film was pure Sontag—incisive, cultural, and morally engaged.
Variants and Related Words
- Sontagian (adjective): Pertaining to or characteristic of Susan Sontag or her ideas.
- The essay offered a Sontagian critique of wartime imagery.
Synonyms
- Susan Sontag (full name)
Important Note
- In historical contexts (primarily 19th century), "sontag" (lowercase 's') can also refer to a type of knitted shoulder cape or mantle. However, in contemporary usage, especially concerning 20th-century culture and literature, the primary reference is to the writer. The two words are homographs but have distinct etymologies and usages.
Noun
- United States writer (born in 1933)