Re^2: poll ideas quest 2015

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^3: poll ideas quest 2015 by jdporter (Paladin) on May 17, 2015 at 03:15 UTC
I think that should be literally/figuratively.	[reply]
Re^4: poll ideas quest 2015 by chacham (Prior) on May 18, 2015 at 12:56 UTC
I wanted to put down literally (no pun intended) with no second word That is, the word should simply be removed, as it is used for stress, but literally changes the meaning of the sentence (pun intended.) I assume that is what you meant when you suggested figuratively. However, making the replacement would not only not be what the speaker wanted, it would work against the intended meaning of the sentence!	[reply]
Re^5: poll ideas quest 2015 by jdporter (Paladin) on May 19, 2015 at 14:42 UTC
Well, you're right -- it would not make much sense to say "I figuratively died laughing!", despite the fact that figuratively is exactly how the speaker is using the word "died". Even so, a careful speaker might say: I died laughing (figuratively speaking).	[reply]
Re^6: poll ideas quest 2015 by chacham (Prior) on May 19, 2015 at 16:59 UTC
Re^7: poll ideas quest 2015 by jdporter (Paladin) on May 19, 2015 at 23:55 UTC
Some notes below your chosen depth have not been shown here
Re^5: poll ideas quest 2015 by thargas (Deacon) on May 22, 2015 at 11:33 UTC
Unfortunately, the forces of common usage have demoted literally from a useful word to an intensifier. Even the Oxford English Dictionary includes this now (see here). I suppose I can't really get annoyed with them as they are only documenting how things are used. Since there are two contradictory meanings for "literally", it is now literally useless. :-)	[reply]
Re^6: poll ideas quest 2015 by jdporter (Paladin) on May 22, 2015 at 13:11 UTC
Re^7: poll ideas quest 2015 by thargas (Deacon) on Jun 22, 2015 at 14:11 UTC
Re^3: poll ideas quest 2015 by chacham (Prior) on May 18, 2015 at 13:12 UTC
Personally, i would want them to remove the word entirely, but virtually is likely a good replacement.	[reply]