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.
carver
A person who carves figures or ornaments out of wood or other materials, either professionally or as a hobby.
Der alte Schnitzer verkaufte seine handgefertigten Holzfiguren auf dem Weihnachtsmarkt.
The old carver sold his handmade wooden figures at the Christmas market.
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
Fehler is the neutral term for an incorrect action, decision, or statement. Schnitzer can refer to the same thing, but additionally characterizes it as noticeably clumsy or embarrassing. Use Fehler for a factual description; when the mistake is an embarrassing blunder, Schnitzer fits.
Der falsche Name des Chefs im Bericht war ein peinlicher Schnitzer.
The boss’s incorrect name in the report was an embarrassing blunder.
Die falsche Zahl im Bericht war ein Fehler.
The incorrect number in the report was a mistake.
