literalness
Word-for-word precision
Literalness is the quality of being literal—adhering strictly to the exact meaning of words without metaphor or interpretation.
Someone with excessive literalness misses jokes and figures of speech: His literalness made sarcasm impossible.
The word also describes faithful adherence to a text: The translation's literalness sacrificed readability for accuracy.
In identical wording
- word-for-wordExactly as stated
- exactPerfectly correct, no deviation
- preciseExactly correct, no error
- strictRigorous, without flexibility
faithful · direct · textual · accurate · close · rigorous · meticulous · scrupulous
Lacking decoration or ornament
- unembellishedWithout decorative additions
- plainBasic and unremarkable
- simpleFree of complexity
- bareLacking any covering
stark · unvarnished · straightforward · matter-of-fact · prosaic · unornamented · austere · spartan
Pertaining to explicit meaning
- semanticOf meaning in language
- lexicalOf or relating to words
- definitionalRelating to precise meaning
- dictionaryAlphabetical word reference
meaning · signification · reference · designation · explicit · surface-level · face-value · non-figurative
Interpreting written text
- construalAct of interpreting meaning
- exegesisCritical textual interpretation
- hermeneuticsStudy of interpretation methods
- textualismInterpreting law literally
originalism · parsing · fundamentalism · inerrancy · scripture
verbatim
In identical wording
- word-for-wordExactly as stated
- exactPerfectly correct, no deviation
- preciseExactly correct, no error
strict · faithful · direct · textual · accurate · close · rigorous · meticulous · scrupulous · punctilious
unadorned
Lacking decoration or ornament
- unembellishedWithout decorative additions
- plainBasic and unremarkable
- simpleFree of complexity
bare · stark · unvarnished · straightforward · matter-of-fact · prosaic · unornamented · austere · spartan · no-frills
denotative
Pertaining to explicit meaning
- semanticOf meaning in language
- lexicalOf or relating to words
- definitionalRelating to precise meaning
dictionary · meaning · signification · reference · designation · explicit · surface-level · face-value · non-figurative · concrete
reading
Interpreting written text
- construalAct of interpreting meaning
- exegesisCritical textual interpretation
- hermeneuticsStudy of interpretation methods
textualism · originalism · parsing · fundamentalism · inerrancy · scripture
- Precision Wordsexact, precision, accuracy, precise, accurate
- semanticsmeaning, denotation, sense, connotation, reference
literalnessmetaphor
Implied identity comparison
figurative language · symbolism · metaphorical meaning · allegory · imagery
literalnessabstractness
Quality of being nonphysical
ambiguity · flexibility · open-endedness · creative interpretation · suggestiveness
literalnesslooseness
State of not tight
approximation · exaggeration · embellishment · vagueness · imprecision
literature, literal, literary, literate, literacy, literally, liter, illiterate, liters