3 ms·

By literally you mean metaphorically?

anaheim 14y ago
Anyone who says things like "They are metaphorically shoving it in their users' faces" deserves an incredibly swift kick up the arse.
mikeryan 14y ago
lit·er·al·ly /ˈlitərəlē/ Adverb - In a literal manner or sense; exactly: "the driver took it literally when asked to go straight over the traffic circle". - Used to acknowledge that something is not literally true but is used for emphasis or to express strong feeling. emphasis mine.
- notatoad 14y ago
  So the new definition of literally is literally "not literally"?
  - robrenaud 14y ago
    Language, it's awesome like that.
  - d2vid 14y ago
    Yes. Think about the word awful -it used to mean "inspiring awe" but it flipped and now always means bad. I got curious so I looked up some examples that still can mean something or the exact opposite: Bolt - run away or secure in place Cleave - cut or join Garnish - add (parsley) or remove (wages) Weather - weather the storm or become weathered
    - bct 14y ago
      Some of your examples are very different from the case of "literally". "Awful" isn't a reversal of meaning, it's a narrowing of meaning. > Bolt - run away or secure in place These are homynyms, not divergent meanings. A crossbow bolt is fast, a door bolt is secure. > Cleave - cut or join These appear to have converged from the separate Old English verbs "cleofan" and "clifian": http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=cleave&searchmode=none http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&s... (Interestingly, "literally" has been misused to mean its opposite since at least the 1680s: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=literally&allowed_in_frame=0 http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=literally&allow... . We've held off the "it means just what I choose it to mean" hordes so far, why give up now?)
    - mdonahoe 14y ago
      Some more of these "contronyms" http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml Words that are their own antonyms. My favorite is off: "off - off, on (e.g., the alarm went off)"
    - rfurmani 14y ago
      King James II of England, when he saw the restored and expanded St. Paul's Cathedral, called it "amusing, awful and artificial." The architect, Sir Christopher Wren, was not offended. On the contrary, he was flattered. The king did not mean that it was funny or entertaining. He was not calling it atrocious or appalling. He did not consider it fake or pretentious. In 17th century England, amusing meant "riveting." Awful meant "full of awe" or "awe inspiring." And artificial meant "artistic."

Anyone who says things like "They are metaphorically shoving it in their users' faces" deserves an incredibly swift kick up the arse.

mikeryan 14y ago

lit·er·al·ly /ˈlitərəlē/ Adverb - In a literal manner or sense; exactly: "the driver took it literally when asked to go straight over the traffic circle". - Used to acknowledge that something is not literally true but is used for emphasis or to express strong feeling. emphasis mine.

notatoad 14y ago
So the new definition of literally is literally "not literally"?
- robrenaud 14y ago
  Language, it's awesome like that.
- d2vid 14y ago
  Yes. Think about the word awful -it used to mean "inspiring awe" but it flipped and now always means bad. I got curious so I looked up some examples that still can mean something or the exact opposite: Bolt - run away or secure in place Cleave - cut or join Garnish - add (parsley) or remove (wages) Weather - weather the storm or become weathered
  - bct 14y ago
    Some of your examples are very different from the case of "literally". "Awful" isn't a reversal of meaning, it's a narrowing of meaning. > Bolt - run away or secure in place These are homynyms, not divergent meanings. A crossbow bolt is fast, a door bolt is secure. > Cleave - cut or join These appear to have converged from the separate Old English verbs "cleofan" and "clifian": http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=cleave&searchmode=none http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&s... (Interestingly, "literally" has been misused to mean its opposite since at least the 1680s: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=literally&allowed_in_frame=0 http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=literally&allow... . We've held off the "it means just what I choose it to mean" hordes so far, why give up now?)
  - mdonahoe 14y ago
    Some more of these "contronyms" http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml Words that are their own antonyms. My favorite is off: "off - off, on (e.g., the alarm went off)"
  - rfurmani 14y ago
    King James II of England, when he saw the restored and expanded St. Paul's Cathedral, called it "amusing, awful and artificial." The architect, Sir Christopher Wren, was not offended. On the contrary, he was flattered. The king did not mean that it was funny or entertaining. He was not calling it atrocious or appalling. He did not consider it fake or pretentious. In 17th century England, amusing meant "riveting." Awful meant "full of awe" or "awe inspiring." And artificial meant "artistic."