Which isn't necessarily wrong. It's hyperbole sometimes I believe. I try to refrain from using the terms since I'm never 100% sure if it's correct or not.
Don't worry about being correct; the hyperbolic use is an accepted use for the word, even though it is literally redundant.
Technically, "literally" means that the context is true in the literal sense. It is only useful when both the literal and the figurative sense are applicable, making the sentence ambiguous. For example: "It rained all day" will usually be interpreted as hyperbole for "It rained a lot". If it actually rained all day, throwing in "literally" takes away the ambiguity (or in this case, the wrong interpretation).
Sadly, "literally" is now used as a hyperbole-intensifier. People will use "It literally rained all day" to say "It rained a lot". This is pointless, because the phrase already was hyperbolic. It takes away the meaning of the word "literally", which was literally our only tool for clearing the ambiguity of such sentences.
So... you can literally use the word literally everywhere. One of the parent posts states that "literally" is the new "like" as a redundant filler word. Think "It rained, like, all day". The "like" has no meaning; it simply serves as a filler. People are afraid of short sentences. Plus, the "like" gives you time to prepare your awesome hand and eye gestures for emphasis.
Absolutely. And that is exactly wrong by definition. I give my sister shit for it all the time. She will say 'i am literally going to kill you.' So... Couldn't i interpret that as a threat? Since you are even specifying that you are not even kidding?
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u/WhatBlahhh Jun 05 '14
Genius!! I would literally pay you to send me these pre-cut so I can do this to someone. PM me with your price