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According to the Oxford dictionary "literal"now means: Taking words in their usual or most basic sense without metaphor or exaggeration. but also: [infor

by nl 4y ago

According to the Oxford dictionary "literal"now means: Taking words in their usual or most basic sense without metaphor or exaggeration. but also: [informal] Absolute (used to emphasize that a strong expression is deliberately chosen to convey one's feelings) That second, informal meaning is correctly being used here. https://www.lexico.com/definition/literally https://www.lexico.com/definition/literally

ahahahahah 4y ago
Sure, if by "Now" you mean since at least 250 years ago. > 1769 F. Brooke Hist. Emily Montague IV. ccxvii. 83 He is a fortunate man to be introduced to such a party of fine women at his arrival; it is literally to feed among the lilies. A better phrasing that correctly uses "now" would be: The OED now recognizes that "literally" can be used to mean "figuratively".
- mistersquid 4y ago
  > > 1769 F. Brooke Hist. Emily Montague IV. ccxvii. 83 He is a fortunate man to be introduced to such a party of fine women at his arrival; it is literally to feed among the lilies. > A better phrasing that correctly uses "now" would be: The OED now recognizes that "literally" can be used to mean "figuratively". I wouldn’t be so sure about that. “Lilies” may figuratively refer to “women” as a group of persons named “Lily”. If so, attending a party filled with “lilies” would mean to literally (literally) feed among them, presuming snacks and refreshments were served at said party.
  - nl 4y ago
    Good try. Fortunately we can check the text[1] and there are no characters named "Lily". However, there is a prior reference to lilies as a thing of beauty: > Our beaux are terribly at a loss for similies: you have lilies of the valley for comparisons; we nothing but what with the idea of whiteness gives that of coldness too. and it seems likely the author was referring to that theme. Additionally this isn't the only quote from a similar timeframe: http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002611.html http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002611.h... https://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/blog/article/94/ https://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/blog/article/94/ [1] https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/brooke/emily/emily.html https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/brooke/emily/emily.h...

by nl 4y ago

ahahahahah 4y ago

Sure, if by "Now" you mean since at least 250 years ago. > 1769 F. Brooke Hist. Emily Montague IV. ccxvii. 83 He is a fortunate man to be introduced to such a party of fine women at his arrival; it is literally to feed among the lilies. A better phrasing that correctly uses "now" would be: The OED now recognizes that "literally" can be used to mean "figuratively".

mistersquid 4y ago
> > 1769 F. Brooke Hist. Emily Montague IV. ccxvii. 83 He is a fortunate man to be introduced to such a party of fine women at his arrival; it is literally to feed among the lilies. > A better phrasing that correctly uses "now" would be: The OED now recognizes that "literally" can be used to mean "figuratively". I wouldn’t be so sure about that. “Lilies” may figuratively refer to “women” as a group of persons named “Lily”. If so, attending a party filled with “lilies” would mean to literally (literally) feed among them, presuming snacks and refreshments were served at said party.
- nl 4y ago
  Good try. Fortunately we can check the text[1] and there are no characters named "Lily". However, there is a prior reference to lilies as a thing of beauty: > Our beaux are terribly at a loss for similies: you have lilies of the valley for comparisons; we nothing but what with the idea of whiteness gives that of coldness too. and it seems likely the author was referring to that theme. Additionally this isn't the only quote from a similar timeframe: http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002611.html http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002611.h... https://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/blog/article/94/ https://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/blog/article/94/ [1] https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/brooke/emily/emily.html https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/brooke/emily/emily.h...