literalism etymology

Etymology:

  • From Latin "littera," meaning "letter"
  • "-ism," suffix indicating a system or doctrine

Meaning:

  • The tendency to interpret or understand language or symbols in their most literal or basic sense.
  • The belief that the literal or surface meaning of a text is the only valid interpretation.

Origin:

  • The term "literalism" was first coined in the 16th century by the French philosopher François Rabelais.
  • It gained prominence in the 19th century as a reaction against the allegorical and figurative interpretations of biblical texts that were common during the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

Other forms:

  • Literal
  • Literalist
  • Literalist interpretation

Examples of literalism:

  • Interpreting the story of Adam and Eve as a historical event that actually happened.
  • Understanding a legal contract only by its plain language meaning, without considering context or intent.
  • Taking a metaphor or idiom literally, such as "It's raining cats and dogs."

literalism relate terms

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  • inclination

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