I’m glad this particular linguistic fad bugs somebody besides me. They’ve ruined a perfectly good and useful word, rendering it meaningless. Learn some new adverbs, people.
Well, er, yes, but the use of “literally” for emphasis was first noticed in print in 1769 and, while frequently deplored, shows no sign of obsolescence. Some examples are particularly unfortunate; what makes “literally take the bull by the horns” risible is that “bull by the horns” is already figurative, which makes an additional figurative “literally” rhetorically lame.
The old TV show “Ace of Cakes” had one bit where they received and email describing a cake, followed by, “If you could make that for my daughter, she would literally die.” A beat, then Duff say, “Well then, we don’t want to do that.”
stairsteppublishing 9 months ago
Where did they find a bull in the middle Baghdad last night?
markkahler52 9 months ago
Now, everything is liberally littered with literally liberal litter!!
Arthur I Romeo Premium Member 9 months ago
I just literally laughed my head off.
ChessPirate 9 months ago
Why, it’s literally inconceivable!
( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)
belgarathmth 9 months ago
I’m glad this particular linguistic fad bugs somebody besides me. They’ve ruined a perfectly good and useful word, rendering it meaningless. Learn some new adverbs, people.
Ken Norris Premium Member 9 months ago
They have simply redefined ‘Literally’ to mean ‘some of.’ It’s literally gone from bad to worse since this strip first appeared…
Brent Rosenthal Premium Member 9 months ago
Literally one of my biggest pet peeves. That and people who wrongly use comma’s on plural’s of word‘s!
AndrewSihler 9 months ago
Well, er, yes, but the use of “literally” for emphasis was first noticed in print in 1769 and, while frequently deplored, shows no sign of obsolescence. Some examples are particularly unfortunate; what makes “literally take the bull by the horns” risible is that “bull by the horns” is already figurative, which makes an additional figurative “literally” rhetorically lame.
Brian Premium Member 9 months ago
The old TV show “Ace of Cakes” had one bit where they received and email describing a cake, followed by, “If you could make that for my daughter, she would literally die.” A beat, then Duff say, “Well then, we don’t want to do that.”