Ah, yet another writer who doesn't know the meaning of "Decimate!"

Teenager kid aggro....worst kind for trying to read

I understand where you're coming from, but that is running with the opinion that your example statement with the word "figuratively" does not create that effect. That's an opinion I don't agree with.
The statement "I've been to hell and back today" is already extreme and also clearly false. Add in figuratively and you're just qualifying it for those who may be questioning your sanity (Or someone who thinks it is possibly true).
So, I'd say... if someone feels as though "figuratively" takes away from the impact one is looking for... Just leaving it out works perfectly fine.
Just my opinion and the way that I take the meanings of those words and types of statements.
I know that you're not alone in taking it as you do, but it is clearly out of error that it started. Not that this makes it completely incorrect... as many bits of language stem from misuse and become the new rules.

As opposed to what you said about it being a correct word to express the acknowledged hyperbole (and thus requiring the word's opposite meaning to be an alternate meaning), I'd just say it is used somewhat ironically (depending on your personal definition of that, hehe).
Using "literally" is using the opposite word, wryly, to express the hyperbole to the extreme, hehe.

Really though, any statement we come up with as an example where one could use literally instead of figuratively, does not actually need such a qualifier in it.
I figuratively leapt out of my skin!
I literally leapt out of my skin!
I leapt out of my skin!

For some reason, I guess some people think hyperbole needs more hyperbole in order to make it more impressive, hehe.


P.S. In case it's not clear, I'm not taking this too seriously or anything. I just found it to be interesting enough to discuss.

The Electric-Knight ______ Malfaz _____ Zox'Oculox

@Zethustra

"Now at midnight all the agents and the superhuman crew come out
and round up everyone that knows more than they do"-Dylan

www.pauldamonthomas.com - Original Music

I think "really" or even maybe "seriously" carry the extremity of the statement without saying that it is factually true. I dislike "literally" being used for this because it cuts into the normal use of the word, when using it to say "this thing that could be taken as a metaphor/exaggeration is not actually one." If either meaning is correct, it's sometimes hard to know which one the speaker intends. Going to hell and back is obviously metaphor, but using it with a phrase like "makes me want to kill him" is potentially not.

17th century.

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow [The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."

You misunderstand. It's not simply every tenth man. You have to mate with every tenth Aussie man. Cuz their all Mates ya see?

Remember, English does not "borrow" from other languages.
English follows other languages down dark alleys, hits them over the head and rifles through their pockets for loose grammar.

Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.

Funny thing with greek prefixes, one little letter can change the whole meaning. For example, "deci" is one tenth of, "deca" is ten times as many. So what you meant to say in your id est up there was actually "deciliter would indicate a tenth of liter" and not ten liters, which would have been a decaliter.

Still, funny for comedic purposes.

To the OP: words evolve with time and usage. We are not living in Roman times which means that, although decimate used to have only the meaning you ascribe to it, it evolved into all new other meanings on par with nowadays cultures. That is what is great about polysemy. Embrace it and have fun.

Yet another pseudo-intellectual internet poster who doesn't understand that the origin of a word has only a small bearing on its use and meaning in common language.

I can see why some people feel that way. Although I do think it's funny that "really" also often means "extremely" and not actually "real."



EDIT: Apparently someone has a blog devoted to tracking "misuse" of the word. Viewable here: http://literally.barelyfitz.com/page/2/

Counterpoints from a dictionary writer in an article for Slate magazine are here: http://www.slate.com/articles/life/t...e_to_hate.html

I didn't say it means figuratively. I said it literally means figuratively.

Honestly, in the English language, while exacting usage can denote erudition, it's largely unimportant outside of scholarly, legal, professional and diplomatic venues.
In social mediums (conversation, informal e-mails, web boards for happy-fun pretendy-time games, etc), so long as the basic message is conveyed, exacting usage is unimportant.

Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.

Originally Posted by Zwillinger GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.

Originally Posted by Captain_Photon NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.

Think I found everything.

Right on!

The word the writer seeks...
or
The word the writer is seeking...
or
The word the writer sought...


Cal

I'm no expert, but shouldn't 'english' be capitalized in English?

Originally Posted by Zwillinger GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.

Originally Posted by Captain_Photon NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.

No, you may not. The context is all wrong. You may, however, make use of the phrase "Wankel rotary engine".

You have only to look at US politics to see that.


Also: if you reduce each one of your enemies by 1/10 (as measured in body mass), the 90% that's left probably isn't in much of a mood to fight. So the definition closest to the original meaning - which was last valid around 2 millenia ago - fits rather nicely.

Originally Posted by PleaseRecycle it has gone from unconscionable to downright appalling that we have no way of measuring our characters' wetness.

Originally Posted by Brillig It's hard to beat the entertainment value of Whackjob Wednesdays.

Aha! Let him without sin and all that.

Well, it would of been, but their still people who protect it.
/illiteracy

Even better!