literalise
/'litərəlaiz/ Cách viết khác : (literalise) /'litərəlaiz/
Definition
- Verb:
- To make literal: To interpret or express something in a strictly literal, factual, or concrete way, often removing its figurative, metaphorical, or symbolic meaning.
- To render in a literal form: To convert an abstract idea, figure of speech, or artistic concept into a direct, non-figurative representation.
Examples of Usage
- Verb:
- The director's decision to literalise the metaphor of a "broken heart" with an actual cracking sound was controversial.
- Some readers tend to literalise poetic language, missing its deeper symbolic meaning.
- The instruction was ambiguous, so he chose to literalise it and followed the steps exactly as written.
Advanced Usage
- In literary criticism: The act of interpreting a text without allowing for allegory or symbolism.
- To fully appreciate the parable, one must avoid the temptation to literalise every detail.
- In translation or adaptation: The process of converting an idiom or culturally specific phrase into a direct, word-for-word equivalent in another language, which can sometimes cause confusion.
- The software's attempt to literalise the idiom "it's raining cats and dogs" resulted in a nonsensical translation.
Variants and Related Words
- Literalize (verb): The primary spelling variant, especially in American English. It has the same meaning as 'literalise'.
- Literal (adjective): Taking words in their usual or most basic sense without metaphor or allegory.
- A literal interpretation of the law.
- Literalism (noun): The interpretation of words in their literal sense; adherence to the explicit substance of an idea or text.
- Biblical literalism.
- Literalist (noun): A person who interprets words literally.
Synonyms
- Concretize: To make concrete or specific.
- Actualize: To make actual or real.
- Interpret literally: To understand according to the strict, primary meaning of words.
Antonyms
- Metaphorize: To describe or represent something through metaphor.
- Symbolize: To represent by means of symbols.
- Allegorize: To interpret or represent in an allegorical way.
Related Phrases
- To take something literally: To understand words in their most basic sense, not figuratively. (This is a common phrase from which the verb 'literalise' is derived).
- He has a tendency to take everything I say literally.
Verb
-
make literal
-
literalize metaphors
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