You Can Literally Use the Word Literally, Literally Anyway You Want?

[cosmicfolklore]

I know, I know, it's the new F-bomb for millennials. You can literally replace the word with "fucking" and it will still carry the same meaning and intended emphasis.

I was on the Facebook the other day and was reading my daughters' posts to keep up with what they are up to out in the big ol' world, and one of them had posted something where they had used the term "literally" and someone had corrected them. I know, I know, it doesn't sound right in my logical world of "figurative" verses "literal". But, it got me to thinking... in a moment of questioning my rationale, I Googled it, and low and behold there are two definitions for the word.



"Used for emphasis or to express strong feelings..." WTF!? So, anyone can literally use the word however they want?

So, I guess it is the new F-bomb. It just doesn't sound smart, but I guess it is still better than dropping F-bombs for emotive reasons. So, I have to stop correcting millennials. :::sigh:::

Anyways, I know that we have a few other Grammar Nazis like me on here. What do you think?

 

[BROBS]

I know, I know, it's the new F-bomb for millennials. You can literally replace the word with "fucking" and it will still carry the same meaning and intended emphasis.

I was on the Facebook the other day and was reading my daughters' posts to keep up with what they are up to out in the big ol' world, and one of them had posted something where they had used the term "literally" and someone had corrected them. I know, I know, it doesn't sound right in my logical world of "figurative" verses "literal". But, it got me to thinking... in a moment of questioning my rationale, I Googled it, and low and behold there are two definitions for the word.

View attachment 64033

"Used for emphasis or to express strong feelings..." WTF!? So, anyone can literally use the word however they want?

So, I guess it is the new F-bomb. It just doesn't sound smart, but I guess it is still better than dropping F-bombs for emotive reasons. So, I have to stop correcting millennials. :::sigh:::

Anyways, I know that we have a few other Grammar Nazis like me on here. What do you think?

Yup. Words change meaning. It just means ur old.

 

[tschiraldi]

That is LITERALLY the funniest thing I've read all day!?

 

[BROBS]

That is LITERALLY the funniest thing I've read all day!?

I’m sorry ur having a bad day

 

[shanez]

You cannot literally use the word literally anyway you want...

 

[Chasing Embers]

It's like the phrase, "I know, right?" Questioning for validation that you know. Language butchery should literally have its tongue cut out. Many have even gotten too lazy to even pronounce entire words like merchandise. Society is suffering an age of decline.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It's like the phrase, "I know, right?" Questioning for validation that you know. Language butchery should literally have its tongue cut out. Many have even gotten too lazy to even pronounce entire words like merchandise. Society is suffering an age of decline.

I remember when fast food places started adding the very first Drive-Thru. My dad said the use of the word “thru” would be the decline of civilization as we know it. Ha ha!

 

[BROBS]

English language criticisms from Kentucky, coming up at 5pm. Don’t touch that dial.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

English language criticisms from Kentucky, coming up at 5pm. Don’t touch that dial.

I can’t speak to Kentucky’s language, but here in Central Alabama, you’ll only find strict usage of Victorian English at it’s best. Southern colloquially is the best preserved use of the Queen’s English on the planet. But, one step into the woods and all bets are off. I can’t even understand what most of them are saying either.

 

[Chasing Embers]

English language criticisms from Kentucky, coming up at 5pm. Don’t touch that dial.

I'm from Indiana, and proper speech etiquette and syntax were much of my preschool learning.

 

[mikethompson]

I was on the Facebook the other day

Well there's your first problem

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Well there's your first problem

I have five kids, and not one of them will answer a phone. Without Facebook, I’d have no idea whether they were still alive or not.

 

[mso489]

And everyone can stop saying "enough is enough," even if it is, and "walk and chew gum at the same time" even if they can, and "inflection point," which doesn't mean anything, unless you have a serious inflection, in which case see a doctor. Also, we can stop saying "get the vaccines into arms," since there isn't any vaccine in most places. Show me the vaccine, and let's discuss the anatomy later. Blah, blah, blah. Actually is in the same category as literally, which are about the same as um. And funds should go to therapy for people who say "you know" more than once in any 24-hour-period. Maybe I know, and maybe I don't, and I'll be the judge of that. The English language is in sad shape; let's not throw rubbish on the grave. And Facebook is a kidnapper and vampire; I've had friends who died on me after they disappeared into Facebook, so cosmic is correct to worry.

 

[dmcmtk]

Oh my God, like I so know what you mean, literally!

 

[pauls456]

I'd say the word is being abused, and has been for a long time. Another one that was misused a lot is the word "actually".
It reminds me of when people begin a sentence: "To be perfectly frank and honest..."

 

[sallow]

I don't see anything wrong here. Languages can change, they are not set in stone.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

And people who will ask... "Can I ask you a question?" What do they think that they just did? Why not just ask the question as their first question, and cut the talking time in half?



Oh, and we had neighbors move in next door when I was a pre-teen. They were from California, both all bleached blond and health food people.
The guy would always say, "know what I mean?" in between each thing he said. And, the woman would always say, "I know, right?" between each of her statements. They were perfectly matched. All day, "know what I mean?" "I know, right?"
They drove my dad insane.

That, and we kept catching them having sex in our hot tub, ha ha.

 

[verporchting]

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

Literally. Because it is a quotation from an author, and therefore, literary.

 

[mikethompson]

That, and we kept catching them having sex in our hot tub, ha ha.

"Know what I mean?!"

"Yeah! Right!"

I laughed too hard at that. Oh it has been a week.

 

[scloyd]

A while back I got in the bad habit of saying "I'll be honest". My wife said to me, after getting annoyed with me, "I'm glad your honest and you're not lying to me". After getting that response from her repeatedly...I quit saying "I'll be honest".