Literally

Ficheall

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literally

"
Definition of literally

1
: in a literal sense or manner : actually <took the remark literally> <was literally insane>

2
: in effect : virtually <will literally turn the world upside down to combat cruelty or injustice — Norman Cousins>
"

Ignorance prevails.

ShiverinEskimo

Language evolves.

InTheTrees

seriously

mansize

I'm literally officially done cos that's so random

videopirate

It's not ignorance. The word has evolved socially and is sometimes in a figurative sense. Actually, Charles Dickens used the word in the figurative sense too. The ignoramus.

I hate pseudo-wordsmiths. Usually the grammar Nazi type too.

kneemos

https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=9&ved=0ahUKEwjYhpTfkp_OAhWnJMAKHUAPClUQFgg5MAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oxforddictionaries.com%2Fdefinition%2Fenglish%2Foh-my-god&usg=AFQjCNE4feQus4XeEnfHH2Uu6GA2waoMAw

KungPao

It's a bit like 'presently' I suppose. Means "soon" but nowadays it usually means "currently".

But what ya gonna do?

Arghus

I'm figuratively sick to the back teeth with this.

Jim Bob Scratcher

InTheTrees wrote: »

seriously

Super serial

jimmy blevins

Like

cantdecide

My favourite example is a friend of a friend who I hadn't met before once told a group of us that he been "literally raped" by his mechanic. I thought nothing of it as I accept that language evolves. I certainly didn't burst out laughing.

BrokenArrows

I'm literally using literally in a figuratively literal sense.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

The common response to issues concerning language, that language evolves, is often a copout by people who just won't accept that they are using words or phrases incorrectly. "Literally" means actually, not figuratively. It's as simple as that.

White Ninja

I could care less if somebody uses literally incorrectly.

Evolution of language is a good one, why didn't I think of that when I was in English class? "No miss, I didn't use the wrong word, I evolved the english language....don't mention it."

kneemos

Royce Cold Wall wrote: »

The common response to issues concerning language, that language evolves, is often a copout by people who just won't accept that they are using words or phrases incorrectly. "Literally" means actually, not figuratively. It's as simple as that.

Words can have different meanings shocker.

bonzodog2

Dey stole our wurds! I'm metaphorically incandescent with rage about the misuse of literally.

Arghus

I'm loving this words can have different meanings argument. Actual definitions be damned - It's all about what I want it to mean!

From now I'm on I'm going to refer to shoes as bagungunas.

PowerToWait

kneemos wrote: »

Words can have different meanings shocker.

What's the point in having words if they're not going to be used correctly?

Now we literally have no word for literally, according to Webster.

Language evolves for sure. Just as the human brain seems to devolve.

diomed

Padding
Literally, like, listen, look, so I said, ya know (GAA)

Fuzzytrooper

I can't even....

bodhrandude

Can you literally tell me another word for poo.

kneemos

PowerToWait wrote: »

What's the point in having words if they're not going to be used correctly?

Now we literally have no word for literally, according to Webster.

Language evolves for sure. Just as the human brain seems to devolve.

I think we have the wit to understand literal and figurative.

Decent Skin

kneemos wrote: »

Words can have different meanings shocker.

So if you ask me for blue paint and I bring back pink paint because your understanding of "blue" is different to mine, you won't object to giving me the €25 for it ?

PowerToWait

kneemos wrote: »

I think we have the wit to understand literal and figurative.

In that case we should have the wit to use them correctly.

jojofizzio

It's the British pronunciation of it -"lit-rilly" that grinds my gears more than anything

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Speedwell

[said with rancor and disgust] Prescriptivists.



(That was a joke that linguists will get.)

dirkmeister

She says,like literally, that music is the air she breathes

And the malaprops make me wanna f**kin scream

RayM

Literally pissing myself while reading this thread.

My urethral sphincter is knackered; it's an extremely embarrassing problem and severely limits my day-to-day life.

Irish Guitarist

I once heard a girl talking on her mobile saying "I'm literally walking around the town looking for somewhere to buy a sandwich". I suppose that was the correct usage of the word but the sentence was so boring it didn't need the literally. I don't think "walking around the town looking for somewhere to buy a sandwich" is so hard to believe that you need to stress that it really is what you're actually doing.

Omackeral

Royce Cold Wall wrote: »

The common response to issues concerning language, that language evolves, is often a copout by people who just won't accept that they are using words or phrases incorrectly. "Literally" means actually, not figuratively. It's as simple as that.

You literally hit the nail on the head there.

Fleawuss

People misuse a word in sufficient numbers for long enough and its meaning changes. The herd, ultimately, rules.

ShiverinEskimo

Royce Cold Wall wrote: »

The common response to issues concerning language, that language evolves, is often a copout by people who just won't accept that they are using words or phrases incorrectly. "Literally" means actually, not figuratively. It's as simple as that.

Not according to experts with a far greater understanding of these things than you or I.

How a word is used by the masses dictates its meaning. Language was around a long time before any dictionaries were written. Dictionaries are always playing catch up. Sticking rigidly to pre-existing vocabularly means we would never have new words and never have a language that evolves with society. In Ireland alone we use words like savage and deadly to describe positive things. Do you have an issue with those too? Have you never used words for emphasis while straying away from their literal meaning? I doubt it.

People are using literally in the sense to over-emphasise. You don't have to like it, but you, like the people who update dictionaries, have to accept it. Or do you actually believe languages don't evolve?

astrofool

I will revert back on this later, if my fingers survive the process.

maudgonner

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qSkaAwKMD4

We're tearing up this place tonight, LITERALLY.

Your Face

Yawn

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

kneemos wrote: »

Words can have different meanings shocker.

No. It doesn't have different meanings. It has A meaning. Simple as that.

Timberrrrrrrr

Arghus wrote: »

I'm loving this words can have different meanings argument. Actual definitions be damned - It's all about what I want it to mean!

From now I'm on I'm going to refer to shoes as bagungunas.

You can't

We already use that word for lady fun bags!

Timberrrrrrrr

Royce Cold Wall wrote: »

No. It doesn't have different meanings. It has A meaning. Simple as that.

30 years ago gay meant happy, tell your patents your feeling very gay today and see the reaction you get.

Meanings change and people use words differently as time goes on.

Brian?

Royce Cold Wall wrote: »

No. It doesn't have different meanings. It has A meaning. Simple as that.

It literally does not.

BorneTobyWilde

So hungry
I could literally eat a horse.

atticu

Ficheall wrote: »

"
Definition of literally

1
: in a literal sense or manner : actually <took the remark literally> <was literally insane>

2
: in effect : virtually <will literally turn the world upside down to combat cruelty or injustice — Norman Cousins>
"

Ignorance prevails.

Could you be more Pacific.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Permabear

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

As, indeed, black people have with another word, and as gay people also have with the word queer.

"We're here, we're here, get over it" being a memorable protest chant.

cantdecide

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

The difference in this case is that gay would have to mean the complete opposite of the original definition. 'He's completely gay; I mean he is literally attracted to women'.

Arghus

The only reason that use of literally has "evolved" is because people have been using it incorrectly for so long - in the mistaken belief that it means the exact opposite of what it is they are actually trying to express.

In most cases people literally don't know what it actually means, so to cater to this ignorance - by changing the very defintion of the word into the exact thing it most most expressly is not: in fact its complete opposite! - is downright wrong. A case of devolving meaning - not the other way round.

Comparison with the shifting meaning of a word such as "queer" is a false one. That's a case where the words popular use and meaning was renewed thanks to efforts to claim back and reporpose what had once been derogatory term of abuse, into a new more affirmative statement of identity and pride, helping to rob it of its negative power - a intentional political act.

In the case of literally, it's as the OP said: ignorance prevailing

kneemos

Arghus wrote: »

The only reason that use of literally has "evolved" is because people have been using it incorrectly for so long - in the mistaken belief that it means the exact opposite of what it is they are actually trying to express.

In most cases people literally don't know what it actually means, so to cater to this ignorance - by changing the very defintion of the word into the exact thing it most most expressly is not: in fact its complete opposite! - is downright wrong. A case of devolving meaning - not the other way round.

Comparison with the shifting meaning of a word such as "queer" is a false one. That's a case where the words popular use and meaning was renewed thanks to efforts to claim back and reporpose what had once been derogatory term of abuse, into a new more affirmative statement of identity and pride, helping to rob it of its negative power - a intentional political act.

In the case of literally, it's as the OP said: ignorance prevailing

Any word can have a different meaning depending on inflection or even facial expression.
Definitions of words are merely a guideline.

kneemos

kneemos wrote: »

Any word can have a different meaning depending on inflection or even facial expression.
Definitions of words are merely a guideline.

No, definitions are definitions.

Interpretation is not the same as definition.

looksee

If literally can mean literally or figuratively, what word do we use when we want to emphasise that something is literal and not figurative?

Decent Skin

looksee wrote: »

If literally can mean literally or figuratively, what word do we use when we want to emphasise that something is literal and not figurative?

If "the masses" have their way that'll be "figuratively"

Ted111

looksee wrote: »

If literally can mean literally or figuratively, what word do we use when we want to emphasise that something is literal and not figurative?

Cromulently?