The Structure of Complex Words Author:William Empson The Structure of Complex Words continues the form of close word analysis which the eminent English critic William Empson presented in the Classic Seven Types of Ambiguity. — In Empson's sense, a "complex word" is a key word in a literary context, a word whose variety of meanings makes it particularly apt in that context. Empson's system of analys... more »is and classification is a valuable addition to the New Criticism and is of interest to the linguistic philosopher.
The educated reader will appreciate Empson's use of his system to illuminate "complex words" in the works of major English authors.« less