this post was submitted on 06 Nov 2023
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I will never stop being mad that "literally" got a new dictionary definition that's literally not literally
Maybe it would help if you knew there were more? Or maybe that would make it feel worse, but there are more. It's a pretty common pattern in language for some reason, called "contronyms." So literally can mean actually or figuratively, but others include clip (cut off or attach), oversight (to overlook, or to scrutinize closely), sanction (approve something or penalize it), or even fast (moving quickly or still, as in held fast). Context is key, people will adapt as meanings are ever shifting.
or, my favorite, in German "umfahren"
can either mean "drive around"
or "run over"
The sands of time really umfahrened umfahren
In writing, yes. But when spoken the emphasis is different. If the "fahren" is stressed, then you are driving around something (umFAHren). If the "um" is stressed (UMfahren), then you are talking about property damage or murder.
https://www.thecut.com/2018/01/the-300-year-history-of-using-literally-figuratively.html
The fact that most people understand people are being literally figurative is proof that the word is working linguistically. It’s easy to understand in context which use is being intended, and always has been. The fact that people are bothered by it is the new annoying phenomenon.
Pendants should read books, just once, or twice, at least.
That, and then you have my 6-year old who uses "literally" to emphasize his statements. It's pretty funny to listen for that word at my house. It becomes a game of
Is it Literal?
Is it figurative?
Is it exaggerated?
In the car with my friend and his mom we used to play 20 questions. Over the years we just kept picking weirder and weirder shit. Like “the end of WW1” or “Freddy Mercury’s mustache’s leftmost whisker” or “this round of 20 questions that we are playing right now”.
This went on from when we were like 6 to maybe 20. I think it’s where I learned respect for the precise meaning of words. We’d always try to look for the tiniest excuse to give a misleading but technically true answer, like he might ask “Is it a type of animal?” and the answer was his dog, which is “an animal” and not “a type of animal”, so I’d say no.
We got really good at ferreting each other out on stuff like that.
It’s a fun road trip game and it exercises your kid’s mind. Highly recommended.
Illiterally
Irliterally
Words matter. Think about life before and after the dictionary definition change.
Changing literally to figuratively broke reality.
It was changed September 2011.
That's not 2016, or 2020, or 2008, or 2001, or even 2012. Which reality break are you talking about?