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The excessive use of the word "literally" is really getting on my nerves. I guess it's a current language trend, but that makes it no less annoying. Think before you speak, sheeple! You don't need to try to use "literally" as a magnifier. If you say, "I was literally shaking with anger," it doesn't convey a stronger emotion than simply stating, "I was shaking with anger." It just makes you sound like another trendy twit.
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YES! Even worse is when people use it completely incorrectly-as in "I was literally bored to death"-no you weren't stop it.
And Dictionary.com agrees with it's misuse as an intensifier, as in "it's being misused, don't do that" -
As an intensifier, yes, but the example in the first post isn't that, necessarily. At least, if I were to say "I was literally shaking with anger," I'd mean I was *literally* shaking with anger, as opposed to using "shaking with" figuratively to express how angry I was."My in-laws are country people and at night you can hear their distinctive howl."Comment
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"Shaking with anger" could possibly be interpreted as just a metaphor, so I don't really mind "literally" being used as a qualifier in that example.
It's not Pulitzer Prize-winning writing, but I disagree that it makes the writer sound like a "twit".
"Literally bored to death" is a better example of what bothers people, I think.Comment
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Damn it. I knew I should have posted that when I first saw the thread.Originally posted by Lachrymose View Post
I tip my hat to you.Toilet Paper has been "bath tissue" for the longest time, and it really chaps my ass - Blas
I AM THE MAN of the house! I wear the pants!!! But uh...my wife buys the pants so....yeah.Comment
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Misusing literally is almost as annoying as people who say sheeple.Comment
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I do hate the word sheeple. It generally only seems to be used when someone doesn't like something.Originally posted by Red Panda View PostViolence has resolved more conflicts than anything else. The contrary opinion that violence doesn't solve anything is merely wishful thinking at its worst. - Starship TroopersComment
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I try to avoid it since it is one of those words that I can't spell without thinking about it.Originally posted by Antipsych View Post
Everyone has at least one word like that.
And I agree, it is overused and frequently misused.
Your example however isn't a good one. "Shaking with anger" could be figurative. Literally doing so states that you were actually doing it.
But flip side..."actually", "really", etc also work and I like to use words as little as possible. So I'll use Literally, but will alternate it with other similar words to keep from repeating myself.
"Literally bored to death" is obviously a misuse since if that literally happened, how in the hell did they pass on the story in the first place.
Besides. Everyone knows that the real evil here is not one overused word. It's texting and the text speak.
Well that was MHO. KTHXBYE!“There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, where the sea's asleep and the rivers dream, people made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice and somewhere else the tea is getting cold. Come on, Ace, we've got work to do.” - Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor.Comment
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I don't think it's impossible that someone could have actually been shaking as a result of anger. Some people shake when emotions are strong. If someone really is angry and shaking, then it would be accurate to say that person is "literally shaking with anger."Originally posted by Boozy View PostComment
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Um...right. So we agree then.
Or were you just quoting my post to say "ditto"?Comment
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Ok. Perhaps I misspoke.
What I should have said was simply, "I'm sick of the overuse of the word 'literally.'"
Enough said.Comment
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