[I]n Limerick's ad hominem attack against academic writing, she contributes to the ongoing abuse of literally: “This [going to graduate school] gives you, quite literally, your footing.” Well actually it gives you, quite metaphorically, your footing. I wonder if in 50 years literally will have taken on the meaning of metaphorically, since that is how it is constantly used.
As someone with some background in linguistics, I know that words change their meaning over time, but I definitely agree with the Heckler that the meaning of literally is precious enough to deserve conservation.
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I'm, like, literally amazed that you, like, think there's a problem, like, how people use words.
"How can you have the mess we have in New Orleans, and not have had deep investigations of the federal government, the state government, the city government, and the failure of citizenship in the Ninth Ward, where 22,000 people were so uneducated and so unprepared, they literally couldn't get out of the way of a hurricane." - Newt Gingrich
So... does a lack of education literally cause a failure of citizenship and education? Or could it be simply the literal lack of transportation and federal incompetence?
(I literally can't help it, I'm just such a politicaly animal...)
And I wish now I'd proofed that comment. :(
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