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The Over Use Of The Word 'Literally'
Aug 25 2005 by Definetly Not BenThe word literally is being used on a constant level now, literally. It seems at least once a day, I hear someone use the word out of context, literally. Webster's English Dictionary, Concise Edition from 1999 defines literally as: "in accordance with the exact meaning of a word or text." Literally. But it isn't the over use of the word that gets to me, it is how it is used out of context so often, literally.
For example, you hear sports commentators, mostly in football saying "He literally knocked the head off him!" Did he? Did he literally knock the head off of him? When he hit him, did his head go right off his shoulders? Did he head roll around on the ground, completely off his body?
I'm going to pick on sports commentators here, because they are the easiest targets. Baseball : "He literally destroyed that ball!" He did, did he? The ball blew up when he hit it with all his force huh? "He hit hit that one out of the earths atmosphere, literally!" The ball flew out into space? Move over, bambino.
We all need to stop using this word, literally. It seems to have become a basic word in everyone's vocabulary.
Next person to use this word out of context to me, I will literally rip their face off and smack them with it. Face off. That's a great movie. Go watch it, now. Or I will literally eat your heart.
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