• ReallyActuallyFrankensteinEnglish
    41·
    2 years ago

    the problem is that it’s using a word that was supposed to specify that something was not hyperbole as hyperbole, rendering it useless.

    … Or… Because it’s a word specifically meant to indicate it is not hyperbolic, using it in that way is literally the superlative hyperbole.

    • samus12345@lemmy.worldEnglish
      51·
      2 years ago

      At the cost of the word’s intended use, unfortunately. RIP literally. It literally died.

      • Classy@sh.itjust.works
        4·
        2 years ago

        Now you have to hit literally in the chest with an adrenaline shot to bring lividity into its decaying body.

        quite literally

        actually literally

        • samus12345@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          2 years ago

          A good point, I haven’t seen “quite literally” used to mean “figuratively.” Perhaps there’s some usefulness to be had yet.