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Literary notes about idiosyncratic (AI summary)

The term “idiosyncratic” in literature frequently conveys a sense of unique, sometimes quirky, individuality in style, character, or thematic presentation. Authors often employ it to delineate qualities that resist conventional norms, whether referring to the distinctive nature of language or the peculiar traits of a character. For instance, it may describe a character’s singular appeal or mannerisms that set them apart from typical portrayals [1, 2], while in discussions of style, it can denote unusual spelling or punctuation choices that contribute to a work’s personal signature [3, 4]. Moreover, “idiosyncratic” is sometimes used to highlight aspects of physical settings or conceptual frameworks that are as distinctive as they are memorable [5, 6].
  1. The idiosyncratic appeal Tabitha Aykroyd made to Charlotte is related identically wherever she is portrayed.
    — from The Key to the Brontë Works The Key to Charlotte Brontë's 'Wuthering Heights,' 'Jane Eyre,' and her other works. by John Malham-Dembleby
  2. It was idiosyncratic of Lord Mallow that he could not talk to any young woman without seeming to adore her.
    — from Vixen, Volume II. by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon
  3. The spelling and punctuation in the original are idiosyncratic and inconsistent.
    — from Sylva; Or, A Discourse of Forest Trees. Vol. 1 (of 2) by John Evelyn
  4. [Transcriber's note: The source book's idiosyncratic punctuation has been preserved as printed.]
    — from Under Sail by Lincoln Colcord
  5. Perhaps the most beautiful or at any rate the most idiosyncratic thing in the picture before us is its lovely profusion of wayside flowers.
    — from A Wanderer in Florence by E. V. (Edward Verrall) Lucas
  6. It is my wish to understand which idiosyncratic states form a part of the Socratic problem: its association of reason, virtue, and happiness.
    — from The Will to Power: An Attempted Transvaluation of All Values. Book I and II by Nietzsche

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