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Why? Modern usage of the word is appropriate. It's widely recognized as a contranym: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-antonym http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Au
by arbitrage 13y ago
Why? Modern usage of the word is appropriate. It's widely recognized as a contranym: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-antonym http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-antonym
Language evolves. Get over it.
- bobbyi_settv 13y agoI don't think it's accurate to refer to the way "literal" is used today as purely "modern" or a recent "evolution". Most sources say the word has been used this way since at least the 1700s.
- bazillion 13y agoI can't seem to find the link that said this, but I believe the 1700's-1800's version of our modern use of the word "literally" was "veritably". They used it in the same ways we do when we use it the incorrect (non-literal) form.