Intensifiers like this have been used likely as long as language has been a thing. Of course, that means there will always be a section of the language speakers who object to this. I’m sometimes irritated by it, but mostly because it spills from the mouths of young posh kids. I think the basic mechanic of it is the same as Dad jokes. You say it with irony first, then it becomes habit. By the time it’s fallen into normal use, you’re just using it, stripped of all of its wry meaning. I have no doubt that you and I are subject to these same forces.
To be fair, most of these aren’t used correctly, either. Much like literally, they’ve become standardised as intensifiers... Edit: I forgot to say thank you for these, so, erm, thank you!
@@TimSmithWordSmith language evolves, meanings change. its not like this is just out of no where, the words been used like this for like 300 years, and most of those words arent used incorrectly, they just gained an additional meaning as intensifiers
In today's society people can use it in every sentence they think to me they sound ignorant
Intensifiers like this have been used likely as long as language has been a thing. Of course, that means there will always be a section of the language speakers who object to this. I’m sometimes irritated by it, but mostly because it spills from the mouths of young posh kids. I think the basic mechanic of it is the same as Dad jokes. You say it with irony first, then it becomes habit. By the time it’s fallen into normal use, you’re just using it, stripped of all of its wry meaning. I have no doubt that you and I are subject to these same forces.
Exactly. I hate when people use that word out of context.
Nah, it’s alright sometimes.
Here is a list of some of the words that people wrongly replace "literally" for:
Very
Honestly
Really
So
Actually
Pretty (much)
Technically
Basically
To be fair, most of these aren’t used correctly, either. Much like literally, they’ve become standardised as intensifiers...
Edit: I forgot to say thank you for these, so, erm, thank you!
@@TimSmithWordSmith language evolves, meanings change. its not like this is just out of no where, the words been used like this for like 300 years, and most of those words arent used incorrectly, they just gained an additional meaning as intensifiers
I agree! That was the conclusion of the video, and generally speaking, that’s the conclusion of most of my videos...
Omg - you are really quite literally speaking my inner thoughts, and doing so out loud, no less!
It’s a talent.
@@TimSmithWordSmith does your talent work on just mine, or does it do to others as well....i do hope it is the latter
Hard to say. We’ll need more comments.
This was literally the best vid I have watched today.
And I think we *literally* have the same idea about thumb nails😉.
Tim Smith made me think about all the people that start sentences with the word *basically*!
Basically, that's me. Basic.