Anyone watching Jeremy Lin?

[Phrazbit]

Just out of curiosity, is that the literal version of "literally" or the figurative version of "literally". I want to move to a world where literally literally means literally, figuratively speaking of course. BTW, caramel is bad for your teeth and Melo is bad for your sanity but I'd make the trade too. Somebody, somewhere would probably give us something for him someday.

Steve

lol, I dated an English lit major for a while in college and she "LITERALLY" wanted to shoot people who used "literally" figuratively.

 

[AzStevenCal]

lol, I dated an English lit major for a while in college and she "LITERALLY" wanted to shoot people who used "literally" figuratively.

Yeah, fortunately I'm not quite that anal. I was just having a little fun with it. Not that I'm suggesting your former girlfriend was anal.

Steve

 

[jagu]

Melo to the Suns would mean everyone currently on the team become extremely useless... as these guys are use to being part of the offensive scheme... with Melo they become watchers

What scheme is that? The only scheme I see is Sarvar scheming poor Suns fans to give him money.

 

[elindholm]

lol, I dated an English lit major for a while in college and she "LITERALLY" wanted to shoot people who used "literally" figuratively.

It's not using it "figuratively"; it's simply using it incorrectly. It would be like if I said 2+2=5; and you said no, it's 4; and I said oh, well I'm meaning the 5 figuratively. Wrong is just wrong.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It's not using it "figuratively"; it's simply using it incorrectly. It would be like if I said 2+2=5; and you said no, it's 4; and I said oh, well I'm meaning the 5 figuratively. Wrong is just wrong.

It's being used more and more as a means of showing emphasis. I think it's still considered substandard but if so, it won't be for much longer.

Steve

 

[Bufalay]

It's being used more and more as a means of showing emphasis. I think it's still considered substandard but if so, it won't be for much longer.

Steve

In such cases "literally" isn't used incorrectly, but rather unnecessarily. For example, "the Suns literally beat the Mavericks." As if there were so figurative manner in which this could be accomplished.

 

[Bufalay]

It's not using it "figuratively"; it's simply using it incorrectly. It would be like if I said 2+2=5; and you said no, it's 4; and I said oh, well I'm meaning the 5 figuratively. Wrong is just wrong.

He's probably referring to situations when people use literally when they mean figuratively like "Steve Nash is literally a bad ass." Which is, of course, incorrect usage.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He's probably referring to situations when people use literally when they mean figuratively like "Steve Nash is literally a bad ass." Which is, of course, incorrect usage.

No, there is a usage of literally that over the years has grown in popularity. I'm not sure if it's fully accepted yet but as English is a living language, I'm pretty sure it will happen eventually. It's being used in situations where it's clear you are talking about something figuratively but you want to apply emphasis to it. For example, "it's literally raining cats and dogs". There was a time you'd be placed in the corner with a dunce hat on for such usage but it has become reasonably common in life and literature over the last century or so.

Steve

 

[Errntknght]

In such cases "literally" isn't used incorrectly, but rather unnecessarily. For example, "the Suns literally beat the Mavericks." As if there were so figurative manner in which this could be accomplished.

I would interpret the Suns 'literally beating' the Mavs to mean they pummeled them with fists and/or sticks, instead of besting them in a game.

 

[Bufalay]

I would interpret the Suns 'literally beating' the Mavs to mean they pummeled them with fists and/or sticks, instead of besting them in a game.

ahh good point, that was a bad example. How about "I am literally typing right now."

 

[Bufalay]

No, there is a usage of literally that over the years has grown in popularity. I'm not sure if it's fully accepted yet but as English is a living language, I'm pretty sure it will happen eventually. It's being used in situations where it's clear you are talking about something figuratively but you want to apply emphasis to it. For example, "it's literally raining cats and dogs". There was a time you'd be placed in the corner with a dunce hat on for such usage but it has become reasonably common in life and literature over the last century or so.

Steve

We're saying the same thing.

 

[AzStevenCal]

We're saying the same thing.

Literally?

Steve

 

[elindholm]

The misuse of "literally" will, if it becomes accepted by the educated, lead to the death of the word. If a word can have two meanings which directly contradict each other, it might as well have no meaning at all. There is no point in keeping the word "literally" around if half of the time it means "literally" and half the time it means precisely the opposite.

It is already the case that if one really does mean "literally," it's almost impossible to get the point across, because most people will assume that you mean the opposite. I remember way back when I was in graduate school and got my first stipend check, and due to an accounting error, almost my entire check of $3500 was withheld for taxes, and I got only $300-something.

I told one of my friends, "More than 90% of my check was withheld for taxes."
She said, "I know, it's amazing how much they take out, it happens to me too."
"No, I mean it was literally more than 90%."
"Same for me. Mine was supposed to be a couple thousand and they took out like three hundred."
"No, you don't understand, I mean literally more than 90%."

It was hopeless. And it has only gotten worse.

Obligatory Suns: Nash will lose out on another 50-40-90 season this year because of balky free-throw shooting, and that's sad.

 

[Phrazbit]

haha, what an amazing conversation this spawned.

Emily would literally love to read it. But all the misuse might make her head "literally" explode.

 

[AzStevenCal]

haha, what an amazing conversation this spawned.

Emily would literally love to read it. But all the misuse might make her head "literally" explode.

Well then, For Emily Wherever You May Find Her, this time-wasting trip to the off-topic jungle of grammar related observations was literally for her.

Steve

 

[Superbone]

Any of you guys watch Parks and Recreation?

 

[Errntknght]

There is some hope for 'literally'... 'literal' has maintained it meaning fairly well, and they are related words.
I did discover one thing in this general domain. The reason ridiculous is so frequently misspelled is that we usually pronounce it ree-diculous. That got me wondering whether we might some day have the word 'diculous' at our disposal. It would mean what ridiculous now does and rediculous will mean extreme diculous, in keeping with the sometimes meaning of the 're' prefix.

 

[BC867]

If a word can have two meanings which directly contradict each other, it might as well have no meaning at all.

Sort of like the phrase, "I couldn't care less" being replaced with the facetious and opposite "I could care less".

What can you do? Denotation and connotation. Definition and actual usage.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Sort of like the phrase, "I couldn't care less" being replaced with the facetious and opposite "I could care less".

What can you do? Denotation and connotation. Definition and actual usage.

And occasionally you have to bastardize the language so some idiot doesn't think it's safe to ram a fuel tanker because the sign says it's inflammable.

Steve

 

[95pro]

**** in here...

 

[AzStevenCal]

**** in here...

Oh I'm sorry, are we keeping you awake?

Steve

 

[mojorizen7]

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FOR

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Literally.

Ok ok....a 2nd rd pick and a Caramello bar for Nash. Lets get it done! ...and move on with our basketball lives

 

[Bufalay]

Any of you guys watch Parks and Recreation?

Rob Lowe makes me literally laugh my ass off.

 

[Bufalay]

This clip from SNL has a couple good examples of literally being used unnecessarily.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/202006/saturday-night-live-happy-holidays-from-the-kardashians

 

[dziki]

Have you consider any candidates for MIP award this season? I`m just curious if people will give it to Lin or any other candidate (like Bynum, Gortat, Ty Lawson or Kyle Lowry).