Comments on: Literally – an overused word?

By: Vicki

Vicki — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 21:51:37 +0000

In reply to Alejandro. Oh thank you so much for chipping in Alejandro. Very interesting about hearing it in Spanish, though not so surprising when I think about it. Thank you.

By: Alejandro

Alejandro — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 11:12:09 +0000

In reply to Vicki.

May I add to this, the overuse of the word literally is also present in other languages. I’m a Spanish speaker, and I hear it quite a bit in my surroundings, specially un the news. In Spanish, however, it officially doesn’t have the third meaning you mention (hyperbole), at least yet.

I’m aware I cannot stop the morphing of language, so I try to not get too cranky about it. Perhaps what irritates me the most is when it’s used so frequently, maybe even once every two sentences.

By: Vicki

Vicki — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 10:26:30 +0000

In reply to JimP. Ah yes, a lot of people feel like this Jim.

By: JimP

JimP — Sat, 25 Jul 2020 20:10:18 +0000

In reply to Ryan the Lion. “Literally” shouldn’t be used for #2 or #3. I can’t deal with the overuse of the word; it’s just too much. I’m starting to have violent thoughts when I hear the word.

By: Vicki

Vicki — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 19:39:09 +0000

In reply to Ryan the Lion. Oh my! Thank you for this thoughtful comment Ryan. I can see it really irks you.

By: Ryan the Lion

Ryan the Lion — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 12:19:58 +0000

I can’t think of a bigger linguistic/language pet peeve than this disease that seems to have engulfed the English-speaking world: maybe the overusage of ‘like’ and people saying statements as questions (“I have a reference number?” I was told I have an appointment at 9 o’clock?”). The only time a statement should be said with an interrogative intonation is when someone has told you something and you ask for near rhetorical clarification, e.g.
Me: “I broke that priceless vase accidentally”
Friend: “You broke the vase accidentally…? How?”
It really irks me how people misuse this molested word. ‘Literally’ should only be used for the following examples:-
Friend: “If I lose to you at chess, then I’ll eat my hat”
Me: “Okay”.
*Friend eats hat*
Me: “You ate your hat – literally!”
That is a figurative/metaphorical phrase, and also not with a split-infinitive, which is the part two of this irksome use of literally.
The second use is when one can remark to someone: “Oh, you’ve taken me literally”.
I wish people would stop blighting such a beautiful language. I’m cognisant to the fact that language morphs over time, but not with these kinds of degenerative travesties.