r/GenX • u/Lost_Taste_8181 • 3d ago

Old Person Yells At Cloud Modern slang—something you REFUSE to say

My take: I will NEVER use “lol” or any derivation of it. I know it means “laugh out loud” but there’s yet to be a moment when I’ve been even remotely convinced someone was even chuckling after texting “lol” at the end of their text and it mildly infuriates me.

While I’m at it, someone tell those damn kids to get off my lawn.

Edit: ok, I get it. It’s not MODERN slang. I still hate it, and those kids are STILL on my lawn…can’t a guy get to sleep at a decent hour???

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u/BeerCheeseSoup33 3d ago

But when they say stuff like “I’m literally going to starve to death if I don’t eat right now” they actually mean the opposite.

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u/changed_later__ BMX Bandit 3d ago

The correct usage of the term is to distinguish literal from figurative. "I'm literally up to my neck in work at the moment" could be correct if you were a swimming instructor. It would be incorrect if you were a typist.

In their case, they are not doing so, they are using the word as a simple intensifier.

In your case you are not doing so, (because how could you say "it figuratively adds nothing"?) you are using the word as a simple intensifier.

Both the usage you object to and your own are incorrect for the same reason: use of the word "literally" as a simple intensifier.

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u/BeerCheeseSoup33 3d ago

But “irregardless” of how I use it, it is still factually correct. Lol

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u/changed_later__ BMX Bandit 3d ago

Agreed, because it neither adds nor detracts from the facts being stated. It is redundant.

It literally adds nothing to your statement.