dittography: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (Specialist term)Highly formal, academic, technical (primarily used in linguistics, philology, textual criticism, and paleography)
Quick answer
What does “dittography” mean?
The unintentional repetition of a letter, word, or phrase in writing or printing.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The unintentional repetition of a letter, word, or phrase in writing or printing.
In textual criticism, a scribal error involving the accidental duplication of letters, syllables, words, or larger sections of text. In paleography, it denotes a specific type of copyist mistake. The term can also be applied to analogous repetitions in speech, such as a stutter or slip of the tongue, though this usage is less common.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant semantic or usage differences. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Neutral/technical in both variants.
Frequency
Equally rare in both British and American English, confined to specialist academic fields.
Grammar
How to Use “dittography” in a Sentence
The [manuscript] contains a dittography.A dittography of [the word/phrase] occurred.Scholars corrected the dittography.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “dittography” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The medieval scribe appears to have dittographed the final clause.
- One must be careful not to dittograph when transcribing quickly.
American English
- The copyist dittographed the word 'the' in line 12.
- It's easy to dittograph when you're tired.
adjective
British English
- The dittographic error was obvious upon closer inspection.
- We found a dittographic phrase in the early folio.
American English
- This is a classic dittographic slip.
- The editor flagged the dittographic repetition.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in specific humanities disciplines like philology, textual criticism, manuscript studies, and historical linguistics.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
The primary domain. Precisely describes a category of error in transcription, editing, or data entry.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “dittography”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “dittography”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “dittography”
- Confusing it with 'diplography' (which is not a standard term).
- Using it to describe intentional stylistic repetition (e.g., for emphasis).
- Misspelling as 'ditography' (dropping one 't').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, as it originates from textual criticism. However, by extension, it can occasionally describe an analogous unintentional repetition in speech, like a stutter or slip.
No, by definition, dittography is an unintentional, mechanical error. Intentional repetition for stylistic effect is a literary device like epizeuxis or simply repetition.
It is most commonly used in philology, textual criticism, paleography (the study of ancient writing), biblical studies, and editing of historical documents.
In British English: /dɪˈtɒɡrəfi/ (di-TOG-ruh-fee). In American English: /dɪˈtɑːɡrəfi/ (di-TAH-gruh-fee). The stress is on the second syllable.
The unintentional repetition of a letter, word, or phrase in writing or printing.
Dittography is usually highly formal, academic, technical (primarily used in linguistics, philology, textual criticism, and paleography) in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None (technical term)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'DITTO-graphy' – writing something twice, like saying 'ditto'.
Conceptual Metaphor
WRITING/COPYING IS A PHYSICAL PROCESS (where the hand or eye can slip).
Practice
Quiz
What is the direct antonym of 'dittography'?