literalism

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lit·er·al·ism

(lĭt′ər-ə-lĭz′əm)

1. Adherence to the explicit sense of a given text or doctrine.

2. Literal portrayal; realism.

lit′er·al·ist n.

lit′er·al·is′tic adj.

literalism

(ˈlɪtərəˌlɪzəm)

1. the disposition to take words and statements in their literal sense

2. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) literal or realistic portrayal in art or literature

3. (Art Terms) literal or realistic portrayal in art or literature

ˈliteralist n

ˌliteralˈistic adj

ˌliteralˈistically adv

lit•er•al•ism

(ˈlɪt ər əˌlɪz əm)

n.

1. adherence to the exact letter or to the literal sense, as in translation or interpretation.

2. exact representation or portrayal, without idealization, as in art or literature.

[1635–45]

lit′er•al•ist, n.

lit`er•al•is′tic, adj.

literalism

1. fundamentalism.
2. Scripturalism. — literalist, n., adj.

See also: Alphabet

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Noun	1.	literalism - the doctrine of realistic (literal) portrayal in art or literature doctrine, ism, philosophical system, philosophy, school of thought - a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school
	2.	literalism - a disposition to interpret statements in their literal sense inclination, tendency, disposition - an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others; "he had an inclination to give up too easily"; "a tendency to be too strict"

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References in periodicals archive ?

Scholars debate these issues, but it's fair to say what information has emerged is not encouraging for biblical literalists. Virtually no serious scholar believes the Gospels were written by men whose names they bear, nor are they contemporary accounts.

"Biblical Literacy" Is the Last Thing the Religious Right Wants to See in Public Schools

Though they come from extremely different traditions, Pusha and Cardi are plain-spoken literalists. Pusha made his name more than a decade ago as an ice-in-the-veins bard of drug-dealer tales.

Cardi Vs Nicki and other hip hop rivalries explained

There is plenty of thematic meat, too, as readers explore what grave keeping suggests about our own lives, though literalists will struggle to get past the practical problems of keeping a grave fit to live in for many years.

Byrne, Elizabeth. The Grave Keepers

Part 2 examines challenges to the UDHR from religious literalists, from both US religious groups and Muslim groups in other countries.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Challenge of Religion

Literalists Still Outnumber Skeptics Among Certain Groups

Record Few Americans Believe Bible Is Literal Word of God

Atheists have always mocked the religious literalists, and this continues to be a major part of their repertoire today.

Literalism, slavery and the new atheism

Sookocheff's decision to make the imaginary world reflect the colour and shapes of the workaday objects that inspired it adds to the humour but also shows how Buddy and the rest of us literalists can be transported under the spell of a compelling storyteller.

Buddy and Earl (Buddy and Earl, Book 1)

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry told journalists not to use the following terms: Islamists, Islamic groups, jihadists, jihadis, sheikhs, emirs, ulamas, ISIS, ISIL, Islamic State , fundamentalists, puritans, and literalists.

Egypt issues a style guide for foreign journalists referring to extremists

However, as an umbrella for a wide variety of Muslim organisations it was prone to internal divisions and rifts between traditionalists and radical literalists, with moderate reformists under Natsir trying to bridge these differences.

Islam, nationalism and democracy: A political biography of Mohammad Natsir

His "Literalist Interlude: Burning Harry Potter," acknowledges the double-edged danger posed by fantasy: in the eyes of biblical literalists its mythic method appears deceptive "because it speaks in the language of the spirit" (163), and at the same time "it gives its readers practice at reading complexly and symbolically" (164).

Attebery, Brian. Stories about Stories: Fantasy and the Remaking of Myth

These Puritan dissenters closely adhered to scripture but were "benign literalists" in that they used a very wide variety of interpretive styles while assuming the scriptures' essential truth.

Fundamentally extreme: how a series of pamphlets led to the evolution of the Religious Right in America

Far from being textual literalists, their illiberalism tends toward the vague, populist variety.