"Literally" has competition
Printed From: Tippmann Paintball
Category: News And Views
Forum Name: Thoughts and Opinions
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URL: http://www.tippmannsports.com/forum/wwf77a/forum_posts.asp?TID=173962
Printed Date: 21 February 2026 at 10:58am
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Topic: "Literally" has competition
Posted By: reifidom
Subject: "Literally" has competition
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 10:51am
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In the world of words that have been beaten into insensibility, none can stand up to "literally" in today's language. This word has been raped and beaten and stripped of all meaning. It's damn near the new "um..." of verbal pauses, and that is an incredible feat.
Has the world come to a point where nothing that a person says can be taken at face value without the exaggeration and emphasis that overuse of "literally" carries with it? Does the word even mean anything anymore, having been used to the point that it has easily outstripped "like" and is approaching the unconsious level of coversation? I digress. "Literally" has new competition. This word is still a significant distance behind "literally" but it is gaining quickly, especially among women, thanks to reality tv's influence (particularly fashion-based shows), along with Tyra Banks and others like her and is becoming the new word of descriptive phrases everywhere. This word is "fierce." The world may slowly, and I do emphasize that it is slowly, losing taste for "literally," especially as "fierce" comes into the picture, but given the words differing contexts it will be some time before "fierce" can completely take over as the new victim of modern parlance. I can agree that it's likely a fad, given the largely youth-oriented nature of it, but it's amazing what corporate America can take over once the youth is done with something. "Literally" is rampant in my office of 40-something's, and corporate culture likes to fashion itself as something more glamourous, so they adopt phrases like "action item," "mission critical," and "good to go." "Firce" may make at least a passing appearance and on that day I will weep. Nothing like "literally" of course. I was winning the battle against "literally" here in my office for awhile by openly mocking it's use, but it's coming back and I can't seem to stop it this time. It's a fungus that you can wipe clean only to see it come creeping back. I know that language has to change and adapt and words can alter in meaning to keep up, but crap it's annoying sometimes. Thank you for your time. This concludes Reifidom's parlance update. ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: Susan Storm
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 11:01am
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I had noticed the excessive use of "fierce" on TV. Maybe that's because I watch far too much fashion-related television (including Tyra's show). I fully intend to continue using "literally", however. ------------- "No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable." |
Posted By: Cedric
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 11:03am
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I've literally been thinking about this a lot lately; however I despise this fierce thread.
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Posted By: reifidom
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 11:04am
Using them is not a problem in and of itself. I simply caution against overuse. It robs a lot of people of opportunity to express themselves with more flavor and complexity. You, clearly, do not have that problem, but many people around me do. Listening to them is like eating the same thing every day. I want a new taste, a new experience. -------------
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Susan Storm wrote:Posted By: Snake6.
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 12:11pm
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I say fierce from time to time, in the context of "my dman foot hurts something fierce" or in things of that nature. I only use litterally every once and a while. ------------- 
http://paintballchat.org - Paintball Chat I'm at work, Leave me alone!!! |
Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 12:26pm
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Yer words are purdy. Anyway, my mom is a marketer for Toyota, and she said the higher-ups there predicted the new "in-word" would be "clutch." If something was cool, it will be clutch. Ex. "Dude, did you see that car?" "Yeah, man. It was pretty clutch." NEVER let higher-ups in a corporation predict the youths' "in-words." Clutch is dumb. ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell" 
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Posted By: Snake6.
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 12:35pm
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"Clutch" Are you serious.... wow... -------------
http://paintballchat.org - Paintball Chat I'm at work, Leave me alone!!! |
Posted By: Da Hui
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 12:37pm
That is a total play off of Nissans Shift Campaign. This thread is totally, literally, fierce. ------------- 
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Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 12:39pm
Sadly, yes I am. I had the same reaction. Her response was something along the lines of "Just wait." ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: PaiNTbALLfReNzY
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 12:53pm
Never underestimate the large group of boob-tubers that will repeat anything and everything they hear from TV ads. |
Posted By: reifidom
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 1:04pm
I cringe at the idea. I also find it amusing that that would be their word of choice seeing how few companies make manuals anymore. -------------
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Posted By: jerseypaint
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 4:52pm
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Here the growing word is "legit". I say it all the time too. ------------- 
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Posted By: brihard
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 7:37pm
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My boss loves to say 'irregardless'. It always makes me twitch with agony.
------------- "Abortion is not "choice" in America. It is forced and the democrats are behind it, with the goal of eugenics at its foundation." -FreeEnterprise, 21 April 2011. Yup, he actually said that. |
Posted By: Tical2.0
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 7:42pm
oh man. This high school kid got hired on at my work for the summer, and I had the joy of working with him. Every other word out of his mouth was clutch. I wanted to kill him. ------------- 
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Posted By: choopie911
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 9:08pm
| This years overused word was already dubbed "organic" So true. If you can buy organic pancake batter in a spray can, it's lost all meaning. |
Posted By: Shub
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 9:46pm
My dad will pull out 'irregardless' from time to time. I feel your pain. |
Posted By: choopie911
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 9:51pm
My roommate does too, and he constantly defends that it's an acceptable word because it's in the online dictionary as a non-standard word...like "ain't" |
Posted By: Skillet42565
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 9:57pm
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The way my roommate says OK comes like mmuhkay, in a lispy accent and it drives me insane.
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Posted By: Susan Storm
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 10:49pm
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"Ain't" is grammatically incorrect. "Irregardless" is just moranic. ------------- "No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable." |
Posted By: Reb Cpl
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 10:54pm
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'seriously' is the big word around here, and it makes me angry. ------------- ? |
Posted By: jordanpischke
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 11:05pm
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Wait are you telling me there is literally some fierce competition between the words literally and fierce. ------------- 
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Posted By: jmac3
Date Posted: 08 March 2008 at 1:05pm
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Sooo.. I use a bunch of words entirely too much My list: Literally Legit Wicked Champ Clutch(I've said it...) As for this fierce, what is it? In what context is it used? I have never heard it before. ------------- Que pasa? 
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Posted By: White o Light
Date Posted: 08 March 2008 at 1:14pm
Man thats so weird we say "legit" all the time here too. ------------- 
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