Moderators Chest Rockwell Posted January 22 Moderators Share Posted January 22 I don't think people are necessarily using literally to mean figuratively when they don't use it to mean literally. They're sometimes using it solely to add emphasis on a completely literal context right? E.g. "that's literally the dumbest shit you've ever said Chest"doesn't include any kind of metaphor for anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted January 22 Author Share Posted January 22 21 minutes ago, Chest Rockwell said: I don't think people are necessarily using literally to mean figuratively when they don't use it to mean literally. They're sometimes using it solely to add emphasis on a completely literal context right? E.g. "that's literally the dumbest shit you've ever said Chest"doesn't include any kind of metaphor for anything. I’m literally laughing my head off at this. My sides have literally split. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members JLM Posted January 22 Paid Members Share Posted January 22 (edited) Yeah it’s used as an intensifier/for emphasis as well, but that’s more in keeping with the original definition. It can be a bit redundant and is often a filler word, but it’s not as controversial as the second definition which means the opposite of the original one.  There are other contronyms in English of course, and context usually makes it clear. We can figure out that dusting furniture means removing fine particles of dirt, but dusting a cake means adding fine particles of sugar.  With “literally” it does sting a bit though because it’s watering down the utility of a very specific word which, as Loki mentioned, is not necessary when we already have words like “figuratively” and “virtually”.  The only solution is to add a second definition to figuratively to mean literally. “Your husband was at the hot sauce and firearms expo in Texas and he got his head blown off, figuratively speaking.” Edited January 22 by JLM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 It's like that dog-murdering bastard JR, who used to say "the proverbial crimson mask". Â Except the term is already a metaphor for a bloody face, it's not proverbial. Â AFAIK there was no proverb about a crimson mask, it's just a wrestling/fighting term. 27 minutes ago, Chest Rockwell said: "that's literally the dumbest shit you've ever said Chest" That could conceivably be a true statement though, so although it's an exaggeration it's still rooted in the original meaning. Â If for example you posted that KFogg was the greatest singer in history, the statement would be 100% correct. If you say "I literally died" then there's no scenario apart from a class 4 fully floating apparition, that the statement could be true. Â In that scenario the word is a direct substitute for the word "figuratively". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Carbomb Posted January 22 Paid Members Share Posted January 22 10 minutes ago, JLM said: There are other contronyms in English of course, and context usually makes it clear. We can figure out that dusting furniture means removing fine particles of dirt, but dusting a cake means adding fine particles of sugar. My favourite one is "sanguine" - meaning both "bloodthirsty" and "easygoing". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Chris B Posted January 22 Paid Members Share Posted January 22 4 hours ago, SuperBacon said: I've always used the former. As in "I wouldn't set foot in that place" right? In fact, this is the first time I've seen "step foot" I think. 'Step foot' is used a whole load in wrestling, especially promos. "Since I first stepped foot into this ring", etc. 'Quickness' seems to be used a lot by commentators as well, for some reason, instead of the word 'speed'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 1 hour ago, Chris B said: 'Step foot' is used a whole load in wrestling, especially promos. "Since I first stepped foot into this ring", etc. I'm sure you're absolutely right, in fact I know you are, and yet my mind is still telling me every time I've heard it is set! 1 hour ago, Chris B said: 'Quickness' seems to be used a lot by commentators as well, for some reason, instead of the word 'speed'. We're very much veering into "Football Clichés" territory now but both "Genuine pace" and "Real pace" can sod off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted January 22 Author Share Posted January 22 7 minutes ago, SuperBacon said: We're very much veering into "Football Clichés" territory now but both "Genuine pace" and "Real pace" can sod off. “Adjudged” is something I never hear outside of football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 Commentator in the DR Congo vs Guinea game just said "at this stage you can smell the finish line" Excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Statto Posted February 13 Paid Members Share Posted February 13 I have a wrestling one of these that I'd forgotten (repressed) until watching the Iron Claw the other night. The year is 1990, 8 year old me is about a year into his wrestling fandom, and the Texas Tornado has just blown into the World Wrestling Federation. The announcers acknowledge that his "real name" is Kerry Von Erich, but that never appears in writing. At the same time, I discover a stall on the local Sunday market that sells copies of old Apter mags. One day I nag dad enough to let me come home with a copy of The Wrestler or something from about 1987. One of the articles, opening me to this whole mad world outside the WWF, refers to somebody or other having had a long established feud with a "Fritz Von Erich". Not being able to comprehend that there could possibly be two people in wrestling with such an odd surname, my feeble child's brain reaches the only conclusion it can - the name "Kerry" must be spelled very differently to the way it is pronounced. This would be bad enough on it's own, but... one day I'm at my mate Gavin's, my mum comes to pick me up. She and his mum start chatting about one of the other mums, whose name I learn at that point is Kerry. I take this opportunity to to show off my towering intellect, and spend the next 10 minutes arguing that the name "Kerry" is unusually spelled "F-R-I-T-Z". I still think I left the conversation adamant that must be how you spelled the man's version of the name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MungoChutney Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 I also have a Kerry Von Erich one. I had the USWA compilation that was his top matches. He's constantly referred to as The Modern Day Warrior by the commentator. For years I thought there was some kind of beach in Texas called Modern Bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted February 14 Paid Members Share Posted February 14 must have mentioned this before, but I have a wrestler mate who, on hearing WCW commentators call Brian Pillman "Flyin' Brian", was convinced that this wrestler's name was Brian Bryan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 15 minutes ago, BomberPat said: must have mentioned this before, but I have a wrestler mate who, on hearing WCW commentators call Brian Pillman "Flyin' Brian", was convinced that this wrestler's name was Brian Bryan. Gary and Phil Nevilles Dad was Neville Neville so you never know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 Contestant on last weeks Apprentice said "I will be whipping the whip" Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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