"Literally" is such a funny word. Well, it's not LITERALLY funny, but when the meaning of it is taken out of proper context, it cracks me up. It LITERALLY cracks me up.
See, I'm the kind of person whose mind will manage to imagine improper imagery in almost any situation. Like, if I sit and ponder the fact that someone is a mom, I, for some reason, can't help but imagine them screaming in a birthing room with nasty hair and cursing all men. Does this make me so, so sick? Probably. But that's just my cracked-up brain, I guess. So when people go throwing the word "literally" around all willy-nilly amongst metaphors, I can't help but imagine the LITERAL imagery of what they're describing. (On a separate, but related note, I can't STAND it when people pronounce "literally" /'lɪ tʃɹə lɨ/, or for my non-IPA-inclined friends, "LI-tchra-lee," with an obnoxious and unintentionally exaggerated emphasis on the /tʃ/ "ch." If you're going to make a ridiculous metaphoric reference, please pronounce the word right. *Gets down from soap box*)
I understand that "literally" has become more or less commonplace as an intensifier these days, but I still can't help but TAKE a given scenario "literally" literally when it's given to me in that context.
Here are some examples of "literal" scenarios that I've heard people toss around:
I literally almost died reading this. Of BOREDOM.
ReplyDeleteJust kidding ♥ you's drawings is witty and you's face is pretty
I have to agree that people use "literally" too much. The funny thing is, people aren't actually being literal. Funny examples.
ReplyDeleteHaha. Clever =]
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I just found your blog and it's awesome! But I stumbled on it a few days late - I just wrote a piece on the misuse (and misunderstanding of the misuse) of "literally" for my blog last week. I could've really used some illustrations! I'll add a shout out to you on the post when I get home :) Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, it's at: www.alisonsboomstick.blogspot.com/2011/04/see-you-next-Tuesday-April-19th.html
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