this post was submitted on 23 Apr 2025
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Microblog Memes

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[–] porous_grey_matter@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 month ago (29 children)
  1. Literally has meant figuratively since it first appeared as a word in the 1700s and this usage is listed in every major dictionary
  2. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/20/energy/three-mile-island-microsoft-ai/index.html
[–] tostiman@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago (28 children)
[–] mhague@lemmy.world 19 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (18 children)

I wonder, why is 'literally' so special?

Someone steps out into unexpectedly cold weather and says, "It's freezing out here." But it's not below freezing.

Someone that hasn't eaten all day takes a bite and says, "I was starving, this is the best burger I've ever tasted!" They weren't really starving, and they probably didn't just rank every burger they've eaten.

We exaggerate and/or use words incorrectly for the effect so often, people are constantly using words "incorrectly" but then they say, "I'm literally dead right now." and dictionaries change their definitions and people point out semantics. It's like literally is figuratively magic.

[–] theblips@lemm.ee 9 points 1 month ago

Yeah, somehow "literally" is the only word in a figure of speech that cannot be part of the figure at all! They are so smart for pointing that out

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