Definition

Noun: A mistake in printed matter resulting from mechanical failures of some kind. It is a specific type of error that occurs during the printing or typesetting process, not due to a writer's or editor's mistake in content, but from a physical fault in the machinery or type.

Usage

This term is used primarily in the context of publishing, printing, and textual criticism to describe a flaw in a printed text that was introduced by the mechanical process of reproduction. * The first edition contained several literal errors, including a transposed letter that changed "form" to "from." * Scholars compared different printings to identify which variations were intentional edits and which were mere literal errors.

Advanced Usage

• In Textual Analysis: The term is used to distinguish mechanical printing mistakes from substantive errors in the author's manuscript or an editor's deliberate changes. Identifying is crucial for establishing an accurate version of a text.
• Historical Context: Before digital typesetting, were more common due to the manual handling of movable type or linotype machines.

Variants and Related Words

• Typo (Informal): A common, informal synonym for a small typing or printing mistake, which often includes .
• Misprint: A general term for any error in printing.
• Erratum (pl. Errata): A formal notice of a printing error, often inserted into a book after publication. An erratum sheet typically lists and their corrections.

Synonyms

• Typographical error
• Printer's error
• Typesetting mistake

Antonyms

• Correct text
• Faithful reproduction

Related Phrases/Idioms

• To err is human; to really foul things up requires a computer (modern proverb): While not directly about , this humorous saying touches on the theme of mechanical or systemic errors versus human mistakes. A in the age of computers could be considered a "foul-up" requiring the machine.

Noun

1. a mistake in printed matter resulting from mechanical failures of some kind