異い文ぶん

い

ぶ

ん

Meanings

textual variant; variant reading

Refers to a part of a text that differs between manuscripts, editions, or versions. Common in philology, literary studies, and historical text comparison.

この写しゃ本ほんには、他ほかの版はんと異ことなる異い文ぶんがいくつか見みられる。
This manuscript contains several textual variants that differ from other editions.
研けん究きゅう者しゃは異い文ぶんを比ひ較かくして、原げん文ぶんの復ふく元げんを試こころみた。
The researchers compared the variant readings and attempted to reconstruct the original text.

Usage patterns

異い文ぶんが生しょうじるfor a textual variant to arise
書しょ写しゃの過か程ていで後こう世せいの異い文ぶんが生しょうじたと考かんがえられる。
It is thought that later textual variants arose during the copying process.
異い文ぶんを比ひ較かくするto compare textual variants
研けん究きゅう者しゃたちは複ふく数すうの写しゃ本ほんの異い文ぶんを比ひ較かくして原げん文ぶんを推すい定ていした。
The researchers compared the textual variants across several manuscripts to estimate the original text.
〈物もの〉に異い文ぶんがあるfor there to be a textual variant in (a manuscript/text)
この写しゃ本ほんには数すう箇か所しょに異い文ぶんがある。
This manuscript has textual variants in several places.

Kanji

異uncommon, different, queerness
文sentence, literature, style

Related words

異い本ほん
異本 refers to a whole variant copy or edition of a work, while 異文 refers to a specific variant passage or reading within a text.
異い版はん
異版 highlights a different printed edition of a work, whereas 異文 focuses on the actual differing wording or passage.

Opposites

原げん文ぶんN1
原文 is the original or base text used for comparison, while 異文 is a variant reading that departs from it.

Don't confuse with

異い文ぶん化かN2
異文化 means 'a different culture' and shares the kanji 異文 with 異文, but has nothing to do with textual variants.
異い聞ぶん
異聞 (same reading いぶん) means an unusual or variant account/rumor passed down orally, whereas 異文 refers strictly to a variant in a written text.

Etymology

Compound of 異 (i, 'different') and 文 (bun, 'text, writing'). The reading いぶん follows standard on'yomi. The term is used in classical and modern textual scholarship.