Those are exaggerations, not comparisons.
Comment on "Literally" literally does not mean "similar to in some way".
mhague@lemmy.world 2 days ago
People say it’s freezing outside, but it’s a few degrees above water becoming a solid. What gives?
They say they’re starving even though they just haven’t eaten all day.
People need to follow the rules when it comes to words or else we descend into chaos. It’s literally a highway to hell!
spankmonkey@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Worthess@discuss.online 2 days ago
If it’s 32° it’s literally freezing outside(literally), 36° freezing outside (hyperbole)
SaltSong@startrek.website 2 days ago
Right, that’s “speaking figuratively.” There are rules for that.
But a word that means the opposite of what it means is not a useful word.
I’d hate to find a box in my lab marked “inflammable.”
my_hat_stinks@programming.dev 1 day ago
Plenty of words mean the opposite of themselves, so much so that there’s multiple words for it; autoantonym, contranym, or Janus words.
This morning my alarm went off so I turned it off.
I wanted to buy a new console as soon as it was out but they were all out.
Two people were left so I left.
I fought with Bob over chores, but I fought with Bob in the war.
Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 1 day ago
That’s actually pretty cool.
SaltSong@startrek.website 1 day ago
I’m aware of the existence of contranyms. None of the examples you gave apply, as they just have different meanings, or the same leaving with different connotations.
Bob_Robertson_IX@discuss.tchncs.de 2 days ago
Or a letter from my college saying that my club has been “sanctioned”.
SaltSong@startrek.website 1 day ago
Yea. Not helpful.
voracitude@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Context is as important to language as syntax. If you see a box marked “inflammable” and the box is made of cardboard, you know it’s quite inflammable. If it’s made of metal, most people would think it’s inflammable, but if you’re in a lab you’ve probably got a few ways to prove them wrong.
SaltSong@startrek.website 1 day ago
Context is important to the message, yes. But if I need the context to understand a particular word, I would understand the message just as well without that word.