literalë

Literalë is a hypothetical diacritic-based marker used in some constructed languages and in linguistic theory to indicate that a word or phrase should be interpreted in its literal, non-metaphorical sense. In practice, literalë can function as a suffix or as a diacritic on the relevant vowel, signaling readers to avoid figurative readings. The form and placement of the marker vary by language; some systems attach a final -ë to the word, others place a diacritic on the stressed vowel. The pronunciation of the base word typically remains unchanged, with the diacritic serving purely as a semantic cue.

Literalë is primarily discussed in the context of conlangs and scholarly analysis of metaphor. It is not part of mainstream natural language orthography, but it has been used as a thought experiment to explore how readers distinguish literal and figurative senses.

Examples: In a conlang that uses literalë on verbs, breakë a leg would indicate a literal physical breaking of a leg, whereas the unmarked form break a leg would be read idiomatically as good luck. Similarly, fireë burns would be interpreted as a real fire burning, not as a metaphor for passion or energy.

See also: metaphor, literalism, conlang notation.