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The use of literally in a fashion that is hyperbolic or metaphoric is not new—evidence of this use dates back to 1769. Its inclusion in a dictionary isn't new either; the entry for literally in our 1909 unabridged dictionary states that the word is “often used hyperbolically; as, he literally flew.” We (and all the other “craven dictionary editors”) have included this definition for a very simple reason: a lot of people use it this way, and our entries are based on evidence of use. Furthermore, the fact that so many people are writing angry letters serves as a sort of secondhand evidence, as they would hardly be complaining about this usage if it had not become common.
The use of literally in a fashion that is hyperbolic or metaphoric is not new—evidence of this use dates back to 1769. Its inclusion in a dictionary isn't new either; the entry for literally in our 1909 unabridged dictionary states that the word is “often used hyperbolically; as, he literally flew.” We (and all the other “craven dictionary editors”) have included this definition for a very simple reason: a lot of people use it this way, and our entries are based on evidence of use. Furthermore, the fact that so many people are writing angry letters serves as a sort of secondhand evidence, as they would hardly be complaining about this usage if it had not become common.
Aaaaaahh dammit! The dictionary people are in on it too.
yinzburgher wrote: ↑Sun Nov 24, 2019 8:43 am
I was thinking about posting something here and then that damn @peskydonut beat me to it in the mistake of the day thread. I'm normally not too concerned with errors in the speech or writing of others. My own posts here are littered with spelling and grammatical errors. But I think we may have reached peak misuse of the word "literally." I started noticing it a couple years ago but in the past few months I hear the word all the time and rarely is it being used correctly. Not long ago I heard a presidential candidate say that we are going to have to "literally put the world back together," which implies to me that the earth has broken into pieces. Then a few days ago I heard a new reporter say that someone was "literally living high off the hog," once again using literally to describe figurative language. Those are just two recent examples but I hear people use the word A LOT. It can apparently mean figuratively, metaphorically, really, actually, virtually, very or it can just be used as a filler world if you don't know what else to say. Serious question......Do anyone know how this happened? Maybe a cultural moment that I missed but others are aware of. How can a word come to mean its opposite or come to have no real meaning in such a short amount of time? To be completely honest, my big fear is that I hear it so much that I just start using the word in the same way.
Only if you count "short amount of time" as 300 years.
Far and wide I will find 'em and I ride 'em
Bricks and mortar get my licks just for kicks
AD or authorized I don't analyze
Retail, wholesale never fail
Online or offline, I find I don't redefine
Too big to fail or yard sale they all hale
Run or hide just for fun deals I find
Hold on.
The blue Alpinist dropped down to $450 and we all missed that?!?
Or is Seiko pulling a "Jomashop" by posting a low price on an out of stock item?
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Far and wide I will find 'em and I ride 'em
Bricks and mortar get my licks just for kicks
AD or authorized I don't analyze
Retail, wholesale never fail
Online or offline, I find I don't redefine
Too big to fail or yard sale they all hale
Run or hide just for fun deals I find
TheJohnP wrote: ↑Mon Dec 02, 2019 12:19 pm
Hold on.
The blue Alpinist dropped down to $450 and we all missed that?!?
Or is Seiko pulling a "Jomashop" by posting a low price on an out of stock item?
I don't like the green/gold combo on the regular Alpinist. But I love the blue/polished stainless look of this version.
Good thing it's not $450, or I would be tempted. :phew:
Click Icon To Contact Me: "You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them." - Ray Bradbury "Remember no man is a failure who has friends." - Clarence Odbody
Work is insanely busy right now. I am working late evenings every night for the last two weeks and this week as well. Really making it tough to make family time which we really value around the holiday season. We'll survive fine, but man is it annoying. Haven't even been out to see Christmas lights yet.
cortman wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2019 3:24 pm
Work is insanely busy right now. I am working late evenings every night for the last two weeks and this week as well. Really making it tough to make family time which we really value around the holiday season. We'll survive fine, but man is it annoying. Haven't even been out to see Christmas lights yet.
Know what you mean...I am kind of in the same place, only next week off should help.
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’There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.’ - Leonard Cohen, Anthem ’One man's faith is another man's delusion.’ - Anthony Storr
cortman wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2019 3:24 pm
Work is insanely busy right now. I am working late evenings every night for the last two weeks and this week as well. Really making it tough to make family time which we really value around the holiday season. We'll survive fine, but man is it annoying. Haven't even been out to see Christmas lights yet.
Know what you mean...I am kind of in the same place, only next week off should help.
I'm hoping to get the same but I can't be guaranteed of it if stuff doesn't get done. Doesn't help that my team is criminally understaffed and burdened with a useless lout of a guy the higher ups won't fire.
Click Icon To Contact Me: "You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them." - Ray Bradbury "Remember no man is a failure who has friends." - Clarence Odbody
Having travelled all throughout this great nation, stopping at countless gas stations, supermarkets and convenience stores, I have concluded and do declare: