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cover of episode Why we misuse ‘literally.’ How ham radio got its name. District

Why we misuse ‘literally.’ How ham radio got its name. District

2025/2/18
logo of podcast Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
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K
Karen Lundy
M
Mignon Fogarty
N
Notori Moore
V
Valerie Fridland
Topics
Valerie Fridland: 我认为，人们以非字面意义使用“literally”一词是本世纪最具争议的新词用法之一。许多人觉得这种比喻用法令人恼火，甚至认为它会破坏语法。然而，令人惊讶的是，“literally”一词早在我们今天这样使用它之前就已经变得更加具有比喻色彩。它的含义演变经历了语义漂白的过程，从最初指文本的字面意义，到后来强调所说内容的真实性，最终发展成表达强度或夸张的方式。就像“really”和“very”一样，它的原始意义逐渐消失，而强调和表达力量的功能占据了主导地位。虽然这种用法备受争议，但许多文学巨匠，如詹姆斯·乔伊斯、F·斯科特·菲茨杰拉德和马克·吐温，也曾以这种强调的方式使用它，而不考虑它与字面意义的联系。所以，如果这对他们来说足够好，那么对我们其他人来说可能也没问题。

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter explores the evolution of the word "literally," tracing its semantic shift from a strictly literal meaning to its current figurative usage. It discusses the linguistic process of semantic bleaching and provides examples of other words that have undergone similar changes.
  • The word "literally" has become increasingly used figuratively, causing debate among language users.
  • The word's figurative use is not new; it has evolved over time.
  • Semantic bleaching is the process by which a word's meaning is reduced, often to provide emphasis or expressive power.

Shownotes Transcript

  1. Why do people use "literally" when they mean "figuratively"? This week, we look at how the meaning of "literally" changed over time. Plus, we look at how amateur radio operators came to be known as "hams" and why the term stuck.

The "literally"segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like Literally, Dude): Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can find her at valeriefridland.com).

The "ham radio" segment was written by Karen Lunde, a former Quick & Dirty Tips editor and digital pioneer who's been spinning words into gold since before cat videos ruled the internet. She created one of the first online writing workshops, and she's published thousands of articles on the art of writing. These days, she leads personal narrative writing retreats and helps writers find their voice. Visit her at ChanterelleStoryStudio.com).

The "in medias res" segment is by Karen Lunde, a former Quick & Dirty Tips editor and digital pioneer who's been spinning words into gold since before cat videos ruled the internet. She created one of the first online writing workshops, and she's published thousands of articles on the art of writing. These days, she leads personal narrative writing retreats and helps writers find their voice. Visit her at ChanterelleStoryStudio.com).

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