literalismn.
/ˈlɪt(ə)rəlɪz(ə)m/, /ˈlɪt(ə)rl̩ɪz(ə)m/, U.S. /ˈlɪdərəˌlɪz(ə)m/, /ˈlɪtrəˌlɪzəm/ 1. The disposition or tendency to accept a text, statement, etc., literally; the result of this, the interpretation of words in their literal sense. Occasionally also: an instance of this.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > perception or cognition > faculty of imagination > lack of imagination > [noun]
literalism1644
matter-of-factism1845
unimaginativeness1850
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > meaning > meaning of linguistic unit > literal meaning > [noun] > disposition to accept
literalism1644
logolatrya1834
1644 J. Milton Doctr. Divorce (ed. 2) 67 If none of these considerations..can avail to the dispossessing him of his pretious literalism, let [etc.].
1651 N. Biggs Matæotechnia Medicinæ Praxeωs 7 They have been the apes and monkies, the mimes and zanies of poor heathenish literalism.
1818 H. J. Todd Johnson's Dict. Eng. Lang. Literalism,..What accords with the letter or exact word.
1845 J. H. Newman Ess. Devel. Christian Doctr. 324 Diodorus and Theodore of Mopsuestia,..the most eminent masters of literalism in the succeeding generation.
1865 W. E. H. Lecky Hist. Rationalism I. iii. 342 The doctrine was stated with the utmost literalism and precision.
1882 F. W. Farrar Early Days Christianity I. 385 Extravagant literalism has been even more fatal to exegesis than extravagant allegorising.
1926 H. F. Osborn Evol. & Relig. in Educ. 12 The fundamentalist movement..sought to re-establish the Biblical literalism of the time of Cromwell, Milton, and the Puritans.
1986 B. Fussell I hear Amer. Cooking iii. xii. 210 Occasionally you find a recipe using both corn and real oysters [to make corn oysters]..but that's a literalism not to be encouraged.
2000 Classical Rev. 50 409 There are..examples of hairsplitting literalism, which fly in the face of the..claims to be considering the play ‘as drama’.
2. Literal translation; this as a principle; (also) a peculiarity of expression due to this.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > meaning > explanation, exposition > translation > [noun] > word for word
constructiona1387
metaphrasis1603
metaphrase1680
literalism1833
transverbation1885
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > meaning > explanation, exposition > translation > [noun] > word for word > literal expression
literalism1833
1833 H. V. Hemmings Literal Transl. First Bk. Thucydides 83 (note) This phrase..appeared so apposite..that the translator could not forbear adopting it, though aware that he may be charged with deviation from literalism.
1833 in T. Parson et al. tr. E. Swedenborg Delights of Wisdom Publisher's Advt. 3 A literal translation of this work..cannot be perfectly accomplished; and the effort to do it has introduced some literalisms not perfectly agreeable to an English ear.
1883 A. Roberts O.T. Revision xi. 224 The great characteristic of the translation of Aquila is its extreme literalism.
1944 Jrnl. Bible & Relig. 12 148/2 Pedantic accommodations to the Greek grammar almost anticipate the bizarre literalisms of Julia Smith's versions.
1991 Fremdsprachen 35 33/3 There is a form of translational literalism which..allows the translator to side-step disputes by leaving the most problematic content to the reader's discretion.
3. In art, literature, etc.: (adherence to) realistic or literal representation, without idealization, distortion, or aesthetic interpretation.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > representation > [noun] > exact
daguerreotypism1846
literalism1860
society > leisure > the arts > the arts in general > [noun] > work of art > qualities generally
decoruma1568
humoura1568
variety1597
strength1608
uniformity1625
barbarity1644
freedom1645
boldness1677
correctness1684
clinquant1711
unity1712
contrast1713
meretriciousness1727
airiness1734
pathos1739
chastity1760
vigour1774
prettyism1789
mannerism1803
serio-comic1805
actuality1812
largeness1824
local colour1829
subjectivitya1834
idealism1841
pastoralism1842
inartisticalitya1849
academicism1852
realism1856
colour contrast1858
crampedness1858
niggling1858
audacity1859
superreality1859
literalism1860
pseudo-classicism1861
sensationalism1862
sensationism1862
chocolate box1865
pseudo-classicality1867
academism1871
actualism1872
academicalism1874
ethos1875
terribilità1877
local colouring1881
neoclassicism1893
mass effect1902
attack1905
verismo1908
kitsch1921
abstraction1923
self-consciousness1932
surreality1936
tension1941
build-up1942
sprezzatura1957
1860 Westm. Rev. Oct. 504 A peculiar risk will attend the artist who should make his first studies in the school of minute literalism.
1892 Critic (N.Y.) 13 Aug. 83/1 He [sc. Zola] is accused of a coarse literalism in his writings;..he claims, however, to represent human existence.
1917 E. C. Farnsworth Ideals Mod. Art i. 35 He was instinctively opposed to the literalism of his two colleagues and could not but idealize in his painting.
1988 P. Brook Shifting Point (1989) 191 When we were filming, I decided to see if it was possible, despite the merciless literalism of photography, to allow the spectator this double vision.
2007 A. L. Morgan Oxf. Dict. Amer. Art & Artists 145 His popular portrait style combined romantic stress on individual spirit with contemporary..literalism in exactingly detailed, unidealized faces.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2011; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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