literal error
- noun
- /ˈlɪtərəl ˈɛrər/
- Jargon
:
error tipográfico
- The editor found a literal error in the manuscript where 'their' was incorrectly printed instead of 'there'.
Examples
-
It is one of the rare literal errors in the book: cach, as if hidden, instead of cachet, a seal or mark of distinction.
Academic text (2005) -
One literal error in the report caused confusion among the readers due to a typographical mistake.
-
During the proofreading process, she discovered a literal error that changed the meaning of a sentence.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A wrong action or decision
48
2.3
A small mistake in typed or printed text, like a wrong letter
24
4.9
A mistake in information or measurement
7
2.2
A mistake in a book or paper, for example a wrong letter
3
3.0
A small mistake in printed or typed text
1
9.3
A printed note that corrects a mistake in a book or article
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components 'literal' (in the exact, nonfigurative sense) and 'error' (a mistake) give a loose clue that the problem concerns the exact wording, so a learner might guess a meaning related to a mistake in the text. However, the specific sense of a mechanical or typographical misprint ('typo' or printing fault) is not directly predictable from the constituents and is not a universally transparent collocation, so prior exposure is likely needed.
Etymology
Literal error comes from the world of printing and writing, where a small wrong letter or word could appear on the page. The word literal points to the exact written words and error means a mistake, so a literal error is 'a mistake in the printed or written text'.