Is there a word for missing the point due to literal interpretation of figurative phrases
Figurative language is when people use words or phrases to communicate an idea not meant to be taken literally, such as speaking in metaphors. Sometimes, people do not realize the figurative nature and take them literally.
A more juvenile and fictional example of this is found in the book A Chocolate Moose for Dinner. In the book, a little girl is very confused when grown-ups use phrases such as "chocolate mousse for dinner last night" or "playing the piano by ear". The girl really believes that her mother ate a big chocolate moose for dinner, and that someone played the piano with their ear.
Is there a word or phrase for when someone misses the intended point because they took the figurative phrase literally?
single-word-requests phrase-requests figurative
edited 10 mins ago
JEL
27.3k45191
asked 1 hour ago
StylerStyler
23618
add a comment |
Figurative language is when people use words or phrases to communicate an idea not meant to be taken literally, such as speaking in metaphors. Sometimes, people do not realize the figurative nature and take them literally.
A more juvenile and fictional example of this is found in the book A Chocolate Moose for Dinner. In the book, a little girl is very confused when grown-ups use phrases such as "chocolate mousse for dinner last night" or "playing the piano by ear". The girl really believes that her mother ate a big chocolate moose for dinner, and that someone played the piano with their ear.
Is there a word or phrase for when someone misses the intended point because they took the figurative phrase literally?
single-word-requests phrase-requests figurative
edited 10 mins ago
JEL
27.3k45191
asked 1 hour ago
StylerStyler
23618
add a comment |
Figurative language is when people use words or phrases to communicate an idea not meant to be taken literally, such as speaking in metaphors. Sometimes, people do not realize the figurative nature and take them literally.
A more juvenile and fictional example of this is found in the book A Chocolate Moose for Dinner. In the book, a little girl is very confused when grown-ups use phrases such as "chocolate mousse for dinner last night" or "playing the piano by ear". The girl really believes that her mother ate a big chocolate moose for dinner, and that someone played the piano with their ear.
Is there a word or phrase for when someone misses the intended point because they took the figurative phrase literally?
single-word-requests phrase-requests figurative
edited 10 mins ago
JEL
27.3k45191
asked 1 hour ago
StylerStyler
23618
Figurative language is when people use words or phrases to communicate an idea not meant to be taken literally, such as speaking in metaphors. Sometimes, people do not realize the figurative nature and take them literally.
A more juvenile and fictional example of this is found in the book A Chocolate Moose for Dinner. In the book, a little girl is very confused when grown-ups use phrases such as "chocolate mousse for dinner last night" or "playing the piano by ear". The girl really believes that her mother ate a big chocolate moose for dinner, and that someone played the piano with their ear.
Is there a word or phrase for when someone misses the intended point because they took the figurative phrase literally?
single-word-requests phrase-requests figurative
single-word-requests phrase-requests figurative
edited 10 mins ago
JEL
27.3k45191
asked 1 hour ago
StylerStyler
23618
edited 10 mins ago
JEL
27.3k45191
asked 1 hour ago
StylerStyler
23618
edited 10 mins ago
JEL
27.3k45191
edited 10 mins ago
JEL
27.3k45191
edited 10 mins ago
JEL
27.3k45191
27.3k45191
asked 1 hour ago
StylerStyler
23618
asked 1 hour ago
StylerStyler
23618
asked 1 hour ago
StylerStyler
23618
23618
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
The noun used to denote the "disposition or tendency to accept a text, statement, etc., literally" (OED, paywalled), or an instance of such, is 'literalism'.
The adjective used to denote the quality of 'literalism' is 'literalistic'.
The noun or adjective used to denote a person inclined to interpret the figurative literally is 'literalist'.
answered 14 mins ago
JELJEL
27.3k45191
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "97"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f485987%2fis-there-a-word-for-missing-the-point-due-to-literal-interpretation-of-figurativ%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
The noun used to denote the "disposition or tendency to accept a text, statement, etc., literally" (OED, paywalled), or an instance of such, is 'literalism'.
The adjective used to denote the quality of 'literalism' is 'literalistic'.
The noun or adjective used to denote a person inclined to interpret the figurative literally is 'literalist'.
answered 14 mins ago
JELJEL
27.3k45191
add a comment |
The noun used to denote the "disposition or tendency to accept a text, statement, etc., literally" (OED, paywalled), or an instance of such, is 'literalism'.
The adjective used to denote the quality of 'literalism' is 'literalistic'.
The noun or adjective used to denote a person inclined to interpret the figurative literally is 'literalist'.
answered 14 mins ago
JELJEL
27.3k45191
add a comment |
The noun used to denote the "disposition or tendency to accept a text, statement, etc., literally" (OED, paywalled), or an instance of such, is 'literalism'.
The adjective used to denote the quality of 'literalism' is 'literalistic'.
The noun or adjective used to denote a person inclined to interpret the figurative literally is 'literalist'.
answered 14 mins ago
JELJEL
27.3k45191
The noun used to denote the "disposition or tendency to accept a text, statement, etc., literally" (OED, paywalled), or an instance of such, is 'literalism'.
The adjective used to denote the quality of 'literalism' is 'literalistic'.
The noun or adjective used to denote a person inclined to interpret the figurative literally is 'literalist'.
answered 14 mins ago
JELJEL
27.3k45191
answered 14 mins ago
JELJEL
27.3k45191
answered 14 mins ago
JELJEL
27.3k45191
answered 14 mins ago
JELJEL
27.3k45191
27.3k45191
add a comment |
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f485987%2fis-there-a-word-for-missing-the-point-due-to-literal-interpretation-of-figurativ%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
