Misuse of the word 'literally'

Maybe they literally can’t say metaphorically because they don't know what it means? Mind you, metaphorically speaking, I don’t want to plant any ideas in your heads about this.
 
ThirdLeg said:
Thankfully, no one born prior to 1980 has ever said anything inappropriate

The apparent misuse of "Literally" does not present a barrier to effective communication. In fact, "the kids" seem to understand its use in this context. It is therefore, in my view of language, a valid use of the term.

Of course you may view things differently. But very few of us exhibit perfect grammar. We are simply unware or ignorant of the many ways in which we break the rules.

Just as we might look down on those that deploy literally for emphasis, there are those that take a dim view of our approach to the language.
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Bring back the 90s I say.. when would say ‘literally’ but mean it totally ironically. or in 00s when it was used sarcastically, or on the 10s when it was post truth.. so we didn’t mean it at all. totally bogus.. dudes x
 
newyddion said:
Bring back the 90s I say.. when would say ‘literally’ but mean it totally ironically. or in 00s when it was used sarcastically, or on the 10s when it was post truth.. so we didn’t mean it at all. totally bogus.. dudes x
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Party on newyddion. I think that Bill and Ted said that but they had a bit of help from So Crates of course
 
The immense over use of"literally' by misunderstanding the meaning of the word is awful, but starting every sentence that comes out if your mouth with 'So' is far worse.
 
Ha ha😂. I was actually walking behind a teenager the other day and he was on his phone and every sentance started with 'Literally' and usually followed by 'and I was like' or 'she was like'.

He managed to get both words into every sentance. I wasn't even trying to listen he was one of these divs holding the phone out whilst walking along on speaker phone.
 
S7DiscoDown said:
Ha ha😂. I was actually walking behind a teenager the other day and he was on his phone and every sentance started with 'Literally' and usually followed by 'and I was like' or 'she was like'.

He managed to get both words into every sentance. I wasn't even trying to listen he was one of these divs holding the phone out whilst walking along on speaker phone.
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Why do people do that, use speakerphone in the street? It's the weirdest thing, to broadcast a private conversation. It figuratively blows my mind that people choose to do that. Also video calls, unless you're showing someone something.
 
Some of Jamie Redknapp's best ones:


“He literally turns into a greyhound.”

“He’s literally left Ben Haim for dead there.”

“Centre forwards have the ability to make time stand still. And when Chopra got the ball, it literally did just that.”

“This new ball is going quicker than ever - it literally explodes off the player’s foot.”

“Messi literally sends people out of the stadium with his skill.”

“He had to cut back inside onto his left, because he literally hasn’t got a right foot.”

“The crowd behind the goal are literally going insane.”

“He literally chopped him in half in that challenge.”

“The ball literally gave him a haircut.”

“Alonso and Sissoko have been picked to literally sit in front of the back four.”

“He’s literally just eaten the fourth official.”

"He’s literally turned him inside out."

“Scholes has such a great footballing brain. He’ll see a picture in his head and literally paint it in front of you.”

“He’s literally sold the defender a dummy.”
 
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ThirdLeg said:
Thankfully, no one born prior to 1980 has ever said anything inappropriate

The apparent misuse of "Literally" does not present a barrier to effective communication. In fact, "the kids" seem to understand its use in this context. It is therefore, in my view of language, a valid use of the term.

Of course you may view things differently. But very few of us exhibit perfect grammar. We are simply unware or ignorant of the many ways in which we break the rules.

Just as we might look down on those that deploy literally for emphasis, there are those that take a dim view of our approach to the language.
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Those who, not only hose that.
 
NYboro said:
Replaced with my welcome? Really?
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no 'your welcome' not 'my'. It acknowledges someone saying thank you for instance. Thanking a service provider does not warrant someone thinking it may be a problem for doing their job.
 
bumface said:
Language is fluid. It evolves over the years There's no point in getting worked up about it. Just makes you sound like a grumpy old git. No offence meant to you there grumpyoldgit.
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Thank you for acknowledging my grumpy status but I'm not at all worked up about it.

I agree with your point about evolution of the language yet beginning nearly ever sentence with 'like' is superfluous, unnecessary and adds nothing to the meaning of the remark. I'll remain unimpressed.

Edit: I now realise you were referring to grumpyoldgit rather than myself yet I remain a grumpy old git on this topic.
 
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Millbrook said:
no 'your welcome' not 'my'. It acknowledges someone saying thank you for instance. Thanking a service provider does not warrant someone thinking it may be a problem for doing their job.
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As in you're welcome, you mean? Your is a possessive pronoun.
 
Language is fluid and things that were once disapproved of become mainstream. Shakespeare used the street language of his day and double negatives didn't do the careers of Mick Jagger or Bob Dylan much harm.
 
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