One of the most overused words these days is the word “literally.” According to Merriam-Webster, “literally” is defined as, “in a literal sense or manner: actually.” For example: “I was literally so close to ordering that slice of cake, but I decided against it.”
Most teenage girls use “literally” in this sense:
- “She is literally so annoying.”
- “He is literally the hottest guy I have ever seen.” (AKA Channing Tatum in Magic Mike)
- “It’s literally so annoying that I had to wait an hour to eat this morning.” (said by my best friend who refuses to be named… you know who you are.)
- And my personal favorite: “I literally can’t even.”
“Literally” has become such an exaggeration that when someone does use it correctly, it’s void of all its real meaning. We are hesitant to believe the actuality of a story because we can’t help but wonder if they’re using “literally” correctly or to just to enhance their story. I want to be the kind of story teller whose listeners really absorb and believe everything I say. I want them to know that when I say "literally," I mean it in every sense of the word, not as an exaggeration that will take away from the legitimacy and rawness of my story.
I am the first person to admit that I incorrectly use the word “literally” more than I should. It has become second nature that I don’t even hear myself saying it half the time. I know that I need to be much more cautious and aware about how many times I say it because now that I’m a working girl, I need to remain professional and classy. And incorrectly dropping “literally” in every sentence is the exact opposite of that.
Also, saying it so repetitively can flat out get annoying. It’s one of those things that I can dish out, but I can’t take it myself. If I’m having a conversation with someone and they use the word “literally” almost as often as they use the word “like,” I get really annoyed and honestly, as mean as this may sound, I stop listening to them all together. I really don't want people to do that to me, so I am going to make a personal effort to lessen the amount of times that I use "literally" incorrectly or for exaggeration… Are you with me?
