Help please . What does this mean ?

If you Google ditto copy machine you can see a picture of it.

i used to read widely, and i have never come across that usage.
is it exclusively american.

from the context i guess it is a type of master copy which is used to make numerous others.
perhaps on one of those machines where the master was held with pins somehow, and a big handle turned, which produced the copies, like a kind of automated duplicating; was it called a gestetner brand. vague memories swirling around of music copy.

I loved Plainsong

Is it a misprint? - could it be dildo?

It’s on page 20 at the bottom. I think HAZBEEN is right because it mentions copy machine a bit further on. . It must be the US version of the Banda . Remember those ?
Have you read the book ?

Which page is the quote from?
It might be helpful to read it in context.

Thank you. I think you’re right. A bit further on it tells about putting the master into a machine and running off some copies so I think it’s a practice sheet for the students.

From what I seem to remember its a type of copy machine but I may be wrong!