aberrant, error, inerrant

To “err” means to go down the wrong path, to wander without direction. In the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, the General Confession reads, “We have erred and strayed from Thy ways like lost sheep,” and thus I learned the meaning of “err.”

The most common word in English derived from “err” is “error,” or mistake. I believe we English teachers are responsible for that cold chill you just felt going down your spine at the thought of all the errors you have in the secret English teacher error file they keep on you at the FBI.

“Ab” in Latin is the preposition “away from,” and so “aberrant” means that something or someone has strayed away from the right path. Generally “aberrant” is used for pretty big wanderings away from the “right” path. Aberrant behavior might include such things as, um, having a habit of chopping people’s heads off and keeping them in the freezer.

The Latin preposition “in” can mean “inside,” or it can mean “not.” In this case, “inerrant” means “without error.” No mistake.

There are large swathes of Protestant Christendom that believe their own version of the many-times translated Bible (have you ever known a translator who didn’t make at least one serious mistake? I haven’t) is the Mistake-Free Word of God, or the Inerrant Word of God. We’re glad SOMEONE knows the absolute truth for every single person on the planet. We just wish we knew who it was.


Aberrant