Google's Definition of 'Literally'
google.com
Google's Definition of 'Literally'
1–10 of 42 posts
Re: Google's Definition of 'Literally'
#2They should just remove the first definition.
Re: Google's Definition of 'Literally'
#3Languages change over time. "Goodbye" originated from "God be with you", but I don't see anyone complaining about it.
Re: Google's Definition of 'Literally'
#4They should just remove the first definition.
They should literally just remove the first definition.
Re: Google's Definition of 'Literally'
#5[deleted]
Re: Google's Definition of 'Literally'
#6Languages change over time. "Goodbye" originated from "God be with you", but I don't see anyone complaining about it.
But when "literally" means "figuratively", how do you express the concept that "literally" used to mean? You have to go out of your way to circumlocute, which is at least annoying, if nothing else.
Re: Google's Definition of 'Literally'
#7Languages change over time. "Goodbye" originated from "God be with you", but I don't see anyone complaining about it.
It seems one can not express the view that a dictionary made a mistake without someone helpfully pointing out that language changes (over time, even). We know that. We might know that, be well-behaved descriptivists, and yet still think that this definition is wrong. Because we don't think that an ignorant habit on the part of certain 14 year old girls means that the language has actually changed yet. It's a judgement call, and it might just be that displaying this definition shows poor judgement. That doesn't mean that it won't be justified in another 40 years or so.
Re: Google's Definition of 'Literally'
#8Languages change over time. "Goodbye" originated from "God be with you", but I don't see anyone complaining about it.
It seems one can not express the view that a dictionary made a mistake without someone helpfully pointing out that language changes (over time, even). We know that. We might know that, be well-behaved descriptivists, and yet still think that this definition is wrong . Because we don't think that an ignorant habit on the part of certain 14 year old girls means that the language has actually changed yet. It's a judgeme…
If you think only 14 year old girls make this mistake, you're literally wrong.
Re: Google's Definition of 'Literally'
#9Languages change over time. "Goodbye" originated from "God be with you", but I don't see anyone complaining about it.
It seems one can not express the view that a dictionary made a mistake without someone helpfully pointing out that language changes (over time, even). We know that. We might know that, be well-behaved descriptivists, and yet still think that this definition is wrong . Because we don't think that an ignorant habit on the part of certain 14 year old girls means that the language has actually changed yet. It's a judgeme…
> It seems one can not express the view that a dictionary made a mistake ...
But the dictionary didn't make a mistake. The word "literally" means what most people think, as well as its opposite. A dictionary's purpose is solely to report how people use words (it describes, it doesn't prescribe), and it got this use right.
> It's a judgement call, and it might just be that displaying this definition shows poor judgement.
That depends. Is this new definition out in the wild? Apparently so, in which case the listing is valid. Over at Webster's in the days of print, if a word was used with a particular meaning in ten recognized publications, it became official.
Re: Google's Definition of 'Literally'
#10They should just remove the first definition.
> They should just remove the first definition.
No, not if both definitions are in use. Dictionaries are meant to describe, not prescribe, and both definitions exist.