literalism
/ˈlɪt(ə)r(ə)lɪz(ə)m
/noun [mass noun]
1The interpretation of words in their literal sense: biblical literalism...
- It is not old-fashioned literalism but sound interpretation to read the Code as meaning what it says.
- Finally, Luther was unwilling to sacrifice political prudence and practicality on the altar of biblical literalism, or to identify Christianity with sectarian withdrawal from the political sphere.
- In this context, the relevant principles are that words should be interpreted in the way in which a reasonable commercial person would construe them, and literalism should be resisted in the interpretative process.
1.1Literal representation in literature or art.Maybe I'm missing the point and insisting on a literalism that isn't there....
- Although I feel there needs to be more clarity and in some cases less literalism in approaching such political themes, it is definitely positive for artists to begin moving in this direction.
- A little naïve in their literalism and earnestness, these works are extremely competent technically.
Derivatives
literalist
/ noun ...- Being premillenialists, however, they were not Biblical literalists and had no problem constructing elaborate symbologies from, for example, the book of Daniel.
- But for Biblical literalists, this poses quite the problem.
- We're not didactic, and we're not literalists, and we don't take a particular stance that aligns with any party.
literalistic
- The theological pettifoggery of their literalistic religion has to be read to be believed.
- How strange, then, that the sections of the Church which seem to be most ‘successful’ at the moment - or at least, the most noisy - are also the most literalistic, and least imaginative, of all.
- And yes, I agree, reducing the film to a ‘dream’ etc is a little too… literalistic, for me.