| [reply] [Watch: Dir/Any] |
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!
| [reply] [Watch: Dir/Any] |
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).
| [reply] [Watch: Dir/Any] |
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. :-)
| [reply] [Watch: Dir/Any] |
Personally, i would want them to remove the word entirely, but virtually is likely a good replacement.
| [reply] [Watch: Dir/Any] |