Fun with 'Literally'

I’ve talked before about how “literally” can mean “figuratively” -- that is, it can be its own exact opposite. And though I’m usually pro-reality, I find this fact hard to accept. A strict interpretation of  literally isn't just practical, it can also be great fun.

If literally meant only “take these words at their face value” and could not be used as an intensifier to add oomph to some statement, then Google searches for “literally” could provide hours of entertainment.

For example, here’s a hit I got recently: “Ten Ways ‘Star Wars Episode I’ Was Literally Shoved Down Your Throat.” If “literally” could not be used as an intensifier, this would mean that someone stormed up to you -- you -- pried your mouth open and forced a DVD down your gullet. Isn’t that a funny mistake except for the minor, annoying detail of not being a real mistake?

Here’s another: She literally threw herself at every guy who walked in the door. Wouldn’t that have been a hoot if it were actually wrong?

And how about this one about a high-school volleyball team: They had literally swept themselves into the finals. Even a curling team might have trouble sweeping themselves. How do you push a broom when a broom’s pushing you?

 I learned a long time ago that it’s a bad idea to cling to narrow ideas about word usage. If I notice a lot of people using a word in a way I think is “wrong,” I check a dictionary, which usually tells me I was the one who was wrong. So, for most words, I’ve learned to accept just how flexible they can be.

 But the word “literally” -- well, it literally breaks my heart.

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