This is what you all get for using "literally" in every sentence.

literally now means figuratively

 

That's literally what it always meant.

 

It's slang and has been added to the dictionary as such. Its academic use remains the same... which is the only usage that really matters. Slang comes and goes.

 

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
You're saying language EVOLVES over time?
That's so gay!

 

Slang didn't used to be added to dictionaries. This is a very disturbing trend, because language naturally grows and changes over time but in the last century people seem to have been facillitating and encouraging wide sweeping changes. Fifty years ago, commentate was not a word. Fifty years ago, administrate was not a word. The words that everyone used for those were comment and administer. Administrate has fallen out of fashion and commentate has narrowed its meaning thankfully, but what's really worse than new words is the constant addition of new contronyms. Literally and peruse are the biggest examples. You'll take notice that with peruse, the secondary definition has moved from informal to alternative. Things stick when we document them.

I know most people just write this off as another flaw of English, but I believe that it is a flaw in the culture that is so concerned with progress and keeping up.

 

i literally cannot believe that this is literally happening because this is literally ridiculous and i literally am mad and literally confused about how literally this even literally happened.

 

Not like slang has never been added to the dictionary. Most of modern english started off as slang.

 

gg guys. You blew it up. You broke the English language.

 

literally?​

 

No, figuratively.

 

this is ruining my life​

 

I could care less. XD

 

How much less?

 

Literally less.

 

I just want to preface this buy saying I don't care that much. I just pointed it out because.

To my knowledge it was added as an actual definition. Where I heard it discussed they said that it hadn't been added as slang, which I wouldn't have a problem with considering how widely it's used as such, but from what I've seen it's been added as another use which is another matter entirely. I could be wrong, though.

As soon as we start saying that one word whose definition is the exact opposite of the word it is defining is now the definition for that word, it ceases to be evolution and becomes degeneration. Saying literally means figuratively is the same thing as saying up means down and left means right. This is the dictionary giving into laziness. It's essentially saying "well the word is so commonly used incorrectly that I might as well make that the definition." I mean, I have no problem with language changing over time, but when we start defining words with their opposites I see that as a break down of language and culture. Don't get me wrong, I've used literally as slang before and will continue to do so, but unlike some people I know what the word really means and I'm not going to change the word because I'm either incapable or to lazy to educate myself on its correct definition. I said I don't care that much, and I don't, but I see this as an indicator of where we are as a society and where we are headed, and I'm not okay with it, and if you value communication or culture at all, you shouldn't be either.

Like. Colloquialisms exist for a reason, they shouldn't become the standard for language imo.

This is literally the most creative and funny thing I've ever read ever. You deserve an award, figuratively speaking.

Aaand just a reminder, this isn't a big deal to me. I just pointed it out for the sake of pointing it out.

 

NOVA'S UNSOLICITED POST RATING

Complains about everything, 3/10

Easy joke, 0/10

Level-headed response, 7/10

Using 'gay' as a derogatory; offensive AND lame, 0/10

Only legitimate criticism in the thread, 8/10

Laaaame, 1/10

Kind of just reiterating, 5/10

English was already broken, 4/10

Saxima, 10/10

couldn't*, 0/10

Not sure where you're going with this, 4/10

GOD DAMNIT YOU FUCKERS ARE LAME, 0/10

Trying to save face, 1/10

Wow what an arrogant prick, 0/10

 

Welp, thread won.

 

hey man, they cant all be winners.

 

Clearly you didn't read any of this.

 

I think we can all learn from this guy that Saxima's posts, regardless of content, are 10/10 all the time and she is a treasure to have on the forum.

quietly strokes dick ego​