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Interesting notes on "literally"

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Michael Cote

Posts: 10306
Nickname: bushwald
Registered: May, 2003

Cote is a programmer in Austin, Texas.
Interesting notes on "literally" Posted: Jul 1, 2004 11:13 PM
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While looking up the spelling for literally (I'm a terrible speller), I came across this interesting note in the old Merriam-Webster

1 : in a literal sense or manner : ACTUALLY <took the remark literally> <was literally insane>
2 : in effect : VIRTUALLY <will literally turn the world upside down to combat cruelty or injustice -- Norman Cousins>
usage Since some people take sense 2 to be the opposite of sense 1, it has been frequently criticized as a misuse. Instead, the use is pure hyperbole intended to gain emphasis, but it often appears in contexts where no additional emphasis is necessary.

I recall David Cross poking fun at people who do that last part.

Oh, and "hyperbole": that'll get you 25 cents fo' sho'.

Read: Interesting notes on "literally"

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