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Another question... |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
If someone says "she literally fell over"..what do they mean? |
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Severn Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-17
Posts 7704 |
I am assuming this is an American saying - quite common - for being excited? I think the literally would be put in there to emphasize a high level of excitement...though of course it isn't literal...tch, what can I say - Americans!  The cheeky K |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
LOL... That she'd be "literally picking her jaw up off the floor"? |
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
hehehehehe........  Denise |
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jbouder Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash |
Kamla: Don't you think you are showing a little bit of inconsistency now (about your literal interpretation of "literal")? *Jim says slowly ... "Kamla, put the dictionary down!"*  Actually, my dear, it is an American idiom indicating surprise. In my experience, it has been used to indicate a negative surprise. Hey ... take it easy on the American jibes, by the way. You can bad-mouth us all you want but we STILL get to be the first ones to see the newest movies. *Evil laugh* Sharon: Hope this helps. In keeping with my reputation of being an obsessive/compulsive definition-er, check out why "literally" shouldn't be taken literally here. http://dictionary.msn.com/find/entry.asp?search=idiom Jim |
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doreen peri Member Elite
since 1999-05-25
Posts 3812Virginia |
Well, here's my take on it... *stop it.. quit pushing me!*... sorry, I'm at work and people keep coming into my office and asking me to get off of these poetry forums and do some REAL work... *ok already... leave me alone*... anyway, this is what I think about it.. *geesh... get OUT of my office*... LOL... HAHAHAHAHA... [picking myself off the floor] ... the secretary just came in and said, "It's Secretary's Day and we're all having lunch. Get OFF of the poetry forums and come join us".. then she actually physically PUSHED me off my chair... and I literally fell over... !!! Which reminds me very little of the joke my Dad used to tell.... when he said, "The audience was noticably moved.... They all got up and left." *grin* Later folks... sorry for the digression from the 'real' conversation here... i'm just in one of those moods again... dp |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
Ok...so what does literally mean in this context? |
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jbouder Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash |
Sharon: "Literally" is probably only used to strengthen the effect of "fell over". The person didn't merely fall over, he LITERALLY fell over. Check this out: http://dictionary.msn.com/find/entry.asp?search=literally When used informally, "literally" provides emphasis. Hope this helped. Jim |
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Munda Member Elite
since 1999-10-08
Posts 3544The Hague, The Netherlands |
May be this person was playing with the alphabet and fell over the letters ?  Ok,ok......I will return to the 'Stute, hehehe |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
I know all the answers here - I was just trying to get conversations started..keep the forum moving....I don't know if anyone is reading what we say here. If they are and they are being enlightened, that's great. So I will go on searching for questions to provoke discussions......literally!  |
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Alicat Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094Coastal Texas |
So....if I'm not speaking or writing in the literal sense...um...would I be illiterate? Alicat the Persnikitty |
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