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Re^2: poll ideas quest 2015

by hippo (Bishop)
on May 15, 2015 at 22:39 UTC ( [id://1126823]=note: print w/replies, xml ) Need Help??


in reply to Re: poll ideas quest 2015
in thread poll ideas quest 2015

  • literally/virtually
  • Replies are listed 'Best First'.
    Re^3: poll ideas quest 2015
    by jdporter (Paladin) on May 17, 2015 at 03:15 UTC

      I think that should be literally/figuratively.

        I wanted to put down literally (no pun intended) with no second word That is, the word should simply be removed, as it is used for stress, but literally changes the meaning of the sentence (pun intended.)

        I assume that is what you meant when you suggested figuratively. However, making the replacement would not only not be what the speaker wanted, it would work against the intended meaning of the sentence!

          Well, you're right -- it would not make much sense to say "I figuratively died laughing!", despite the fact that figuratively is exactly how the speaker is using the word "died". Even so, a careful speaker might say:

          I died laughing (figuratively speaking).

          Unfortunately, the forces of common usage have demoted literally from a useful word to an intensifier. Even the Oxford English Dictionary includes this now (see here). I suppose I can't really get annoyed with them as they are only documenting how things *are* used.

          Since there are two contradictory meanings for "literally", it is now literally useless. :-)

    Re^3: poll ideas quest 2015
    by chacham (Prior) on May 18, 2015 at 13:12 UTC

      Personally, i would want them to remove the word entirely, but virtually is likely a good replacement.

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