diff --git a/doc/en/reference.rst b/doc/en/reference.rst
index f58881d02..2fab4160c 100644
--- a/doc/en/reference.rst
+++ b/doc/en/reference.rst
@@ -1564,7 +1564,7 @@ passed multiple times. The expected format is ``name=value``. For example::
 .. confval:: required_plugins
 
    A space separated list of plugins that must be present for pytest to run.
-   If any one of the plugins is not found, emit a error.
+   If any one of the plugins is not found, emit an error.
 
    .. code-block:: ini
 
diff --git a/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py b/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
index 16bf75b6e..07985df2d 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
@@ -1087,7 +1087,7 @@ class Config:
 
     def _validate_keys(self) -> None:
         for key in sorted(self._get_unknown_ini_keys()):
-            self._emit_warning_or_fail("Unknown config ini key: {}\n".format(key))
+            self._warn_or_fail_if_strict("Unknown config ini key: {}\n".format(key))
 
     def _validate_plugins(self) -> None:
         required_plugins = sorted(self.getini("required_plugins"))
@@ -1108,7 +1108,7 @@ class Config:
                 pytrace=False,
             )
 
-    def _emit_warning_or_fail(self, message: str) -> None:
+    def _warn_or_fail_if_strict(self, message: str) -> None:
         if self.known_args_namespace.strict_config:
             fail(message, pytrace=False)
         sys.stderr.write("WARNING: {}".format(message))