blunder / carver
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blunder
A mistake, often a clumsy or embarrassing one, that someone makes. Usually used figuratively for a mishap.
Dem Torwart unterlief ein peinlicher Schnitzer, der zum Gegentor führte.
The goalkeeper made an embarrassing blunder that led to the opposing goal.
The word 'Schnitzer' comes from the verb 'schnitzen' (to carve). It refers to the person who carves, but also, in a figurative sense, to a mistake — like a wrong cut while carving that ruins the workpiece.
Ein kleiner Schnitzer in der Programmierung verursachte den Systemabsturz.
A small blunder in the programming caused the system crash.
You can tell from context whether a person or a mistake is meant. If the topic is craft, art, or wood, it usually means the person. In contexts such as sports, work, or politics, 'Schnitzer' almost always refers to a mistake.
Der Holzschnitzer aus dem Erzgebirge ist für seine Krippenfiguren bekannt.
The woodcarver from the Ore Mountains is known for his nativity figures.
When a mistake is described passively, the verb 'unterlaufen' (to happen to someone / to make by accident) is often used. The person to whom the mistake happens is then in the dative.
Dem erfahrenen Journalisten ist ein peinlicher Schnitzer unterlaufen.
The experienced journalist made an embarrassing blunder.
When someone actively makes a mistake, people often say 'sich einen Schnitzer leisten' (to make a blunder). Mistakes are often described with adjectives such as 'grob' (serious), 'fatal' (fatal), or 'peinlich' (embarrassing).
So einen groben Schnitzer darfst du dir in der Prüfung nicht leisten.
You can't afford to make such a serious blunder in the exam.
mistake / error
'der Fehler' and 'der Schnitzer' can both refer to something that someone did wrong. 'Fehler' is the normal and neutral word for many situations. 'Schnitzer' usually means a clumsy or embarrassing mistake that happens to someone. The word often feels a bit more colloquial and vivid than 'Fehler'. It is especially suitable when talking about a small mishap in a statement, piece of work, or plan. For serious technical defects or very factual texts, 'Fehler' is usually more natural.
Bei der Präsentation leistete sich Tom einen Schnitzer und nannte den falschen Namen.
During the presentation, Tom made a blunder and said the wrong name.
Sie erklärt, warum der Fehler in der Rechnung so wichtig ist.
She explains why the mistake in the calculation is so important.