|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
MISTAKE
MISTAKE. A misapprehension of meaning or a fault in execution. Mistakes can be divided into two types: competence mistakes (sometimes technically called errors), that arise from ignorance of or ineptness in using a language (as when an EFL learner says ‘He no comes today’ or a native user spells receive ‘recieve’); performance mistakes (technically mistakes), where one knows what to say or write but through tiredness, emotion, nervousness, or some other pressure makes a SLIP OF THE TONGUE, leaves out a word, or mistypes a letter. People are particularly frustrated if a slip in performance is seen as a gap in their competence.
Native speakers, however, tend to get away with more slips than foreigners; in CONVERSATION, they can stop, start, change grammatical direction, mispronounce and then correct themselves, and so forth, without much or any censure, but a foreign user's shortcomings are on display all the time. Advanced users of a second language often appear to set themselves higher standards for that language than for their own, partly because they are more conscious of the mistakes they make in it. In educational circles, conservative teachers tend to treat mistakes as disease-like symptoms that need isolation through red ink. Radical teachers tend to overlook mistakes in the interests of good relations, students' confidence, and their ability to communicate and create. Neither extreme appears to be efficient in teaching the mother tongue or another language: the first intimidates and depresses, while the second may invite chaos. See ACCEPTABILITY, BAD ENGLISH, BARBARISM, CATACHRESIS, CORRECT, DEVIANT, FREUDIAN SLIP, GRAMMATICALITY, LITERAL, MALAPROPISM, MISPRONUNCIATION, PLEONASM, SOLECISM, SPOONERISM, TAUTOLOGY. |
|
|
Cite this article
TOM McARTHUR. "MISTAKE." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. TOM McARTHUR. "MISTAKE." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-MISTAKE.html TOM McARTHUR. "MISTAKE." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-MISTAKE.html |
|
mistake
mis·take / məˈstāk/ • n. an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong: coming here was a mistake she made the mistake of thinking they were important. ∎ something, esp. a word, figure, or fact, that is not correct; an inaccuracy: a couple of spelling mistakes. • v. (past -took ; past part. -tak·en ) [tr.] be wrong about: because I was inexperienced, I mistook the nature of our relationship. ∎ (mistake someone/something for) wrongly identify someone or something as: she thought he'd mistaken her for someone else. PHRASES: and no mistake inf. , dated without any doubt: it's a bad business and no mistake. by mistake accidentally; in error: she'd left her purse at home by mistake. make no mistake (about it) inf. do not be deceived into thinking otherwise. there is no mistaking someone or something it is impossible not to recognize someone or something: there was no mistaking her sincerity.DERIVATIVES: mis·tak·a·ble adj. mis·tak·a·bly / -əblē/ adv. |
|
|
Cite this article
"mistake." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "mistake." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-mistake.html "mistake." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-mistake.html |
|
Mistake
MISTAKEAn unintentional act, omission, or error. Mistakes are categorized as a mistake of fact, mistake of law, or mutual mistake. A mistake of fact occurs when a person believes that a condition or event exists when it does not. A mistake of law is made by a person who has knowledge of the correct facts but is wrong about the legal consequences of an act or event. A mutual mistake arises when two or more parties have a shared intention that has been induced by a common misbelief. |
|
|
Cite this article
"Mistake." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Mistake." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3437702953.html "Mistake." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3437702953.html |
|
mistake
mistake † err, transgress XIII; † take wrongly XIV; misunderstand XV; make a mistake XVI. In earliest use north. — ON. mistaka take in error, refl. miscarry, f. mis- MIS-1 + taka TAKE. Cf. OF. mesprendre (mod. se méprendre), which has prob. infl. the meaning.
Hence sb. XVII. mistaken † wrongly supposed XVI; of wrong opinion XVII. |
|
|
Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "mistake." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "mistake." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-mistake.html T. F. HOAD. "mistake." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-mistake.html |
|
mistake
mistake •ache, awake, bake, betake, Blake, brake, break, cake, crake, drake, fake, flake, forsake, hake, Jake, lake, make, mistake, opaque, partake, quake, rake, sake, shake, sheikh, slake, snake, splake, stake, steak, strake, take, undertake, wake, wideawake
•bellyache • clambake • headache
•backache • pancake • teacake
•seedcake • beefcake • cheesecake
•fishcake • johnnycake • tipsy cake
•rock cake • shortcake • oatcake
•oilcake • fruitcake • cupcake
•pat-a-cake • cornflake • snowflake
•rattlesnake • handbrake • mandrake
•heartbreak • airbrake • daybreak
•jailbreak • canebrake • windbreak
•tiebreak • corncrake • outbreak
•footbrake • muckrake • earache
•firebreak • namesake • keepsake
•handshake • milkshake • heartache
•beefsteak • sweepstake • stocktake
•out-take • uptake • grubstake
•wapentake • toothache • seaquake
•kittiwake • moonquake • earthquake
|
|
|
Cite this article
"mistake." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "mistake." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-mistake.html "mistake." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-mistake.html |
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
![Moby - Mistake [HQ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2J4JuLDCzNs/0.jpg "Moby - Mistake [HQ]")
