Comment on What's a word that means a common saying which is arguably untrue?

• Tranus@programming.dev ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  It annoys me that people keep saying “figuratively” is what they mean instead of “literally”. “Figuratively” may be the opposite, and technically correct, but the use of the word “literally” in this way is to strengthen a statement. A more appropriate correction would be “actually” or “seriously”, which holds the intended meaning. “Figuratively” is the last thing it should be replaced with.

  source
• voidMainVoid@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  The meaning of a word doesn’t change just because you use it incorrectly.

  source

  • GiveOver@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    It does if lots of people use it incorrectly

    source
  • Twinklebreeze@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    That is literally how language works. Words only mean what we mean when we say them.

    source

    • voidMainVoid@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      So if I potato, you can ottoman?

      source

      • galloog1@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        If enough people agree, yes.

        source

        • -> View More Comments
    • littlebluespark@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Language morphology, but you’re close. Except for that last sentence, technically. That’s some bullshit, right there. 🤣

      source