4 ms·
A language maven tackles the use of "literally." I confess, I love this kind of article. My pet peeve usage: "allegedly", for convicted criminals. After the t
by russell 18y ago
A language maven tackles the use of "literally." I confess, I love this kind of article.
My pet peeve usage: "allegedly", for convicted criminals. After the trial there is no more allegation; they've been convicted. Their participation in the crime is legally a fact.
- dominik 18y agoUnless or until overturned on appeal.
- time_management 18y agoI'm going to allege that this is used by the press to avoid libel suits.
- russell 18y agoNot in the US. Libel is severely restricted esp. against the press. Successful suits are extremely rare. "Allegedly" was thrown in to prevent the defense in a trial from successfully raising the issue that the media biased the jury pool against the defendant.
- time_management 18y agoI feel like "allegedly" is one of those euphemisms that swung full circle and became a dysphemism. If you allegedly did something, it's really bad. I think the saddest case of the euphemism 180 is the word "lady". In the word's true sense, it's a huge compliment for a woman to be called a "lady", but it has been cheapened by the (originally ironic or euphemistic) diminutive and insulting uses ("bag lady", "dragon lady", "cleaning lady").
- tstegart 18y agoLegally a fact doesn't mean actually a fact. I can name a few people who legally killed someone and then it turns out they didn't. But if its your pet peeve, you should read the New York Post, where they drop the "allegedly" and go right to calling them "scum" "perps," "villains," and "thugs." :)
- stewiecat 18y agoThe NYPost isn't exactly a bastion of journalistic integrity and award-winning reporting.
- deleted 18y ago[deleted]