You can’t actually use “figuratively” when you use “literally” though.
“It is figuratively raining cats and dogs” isn’t actually correct. You have to say “it’s raining cats and dogs, figuratively speaking.” “Figuratively” describes the expression. It doesn’t modify it.
“It’s literally raining cats and dogs” does modify the expression, and in an important way. Sometimes people say it’s for adding emphasis, which isn’t wrong, but being more precise about it, “literally” here is saying that the amount of rain currently happening is the precise amount of rain that the expression was invented to describe. Which actually is pretty close to the prescriptively correct usage of “literally” to begin with but as applied to expressions and not words - asserting that the literal meaning of the expression currently applies. I’m not just saying it’s raining cats and dogs, it really is raining cats and dogs right now in the true sense of that expression.
When you say “it’s literally raining cats and dogs” you are speaking figuratively. Figuratively describes the mode of speech. It doesn’t describe the amount of rain.
What’s more, often the use of “literally” isn’t even a figurative mode of speech but actually a metaphorical mode of speech. “I literally died laughing” is not a figurative mode of speech. It is a metaphorical mode of speech.
Many dictionary writers seem to think that when people are using literally they are using a synonym of figuratively that fits the same exact grammatical structure as literally
And yes, this:
but being more precise about it, “literally” here is saying that the amount of rain currently happening is the precise amount of rain that the expression was invented to describe.
Is exactly what I’m getting at.
And yes also you can say something is figurative or metaphorical but the important part here is that if literally means metaphorical or figurative it means non-literal. I chose “figurative” so I wouldn’t have to say “non-literal” and make the whole thing impossible to parse. I’m pretty sure metaphorical language is a subset of figurative language anyway.
The result of this 30 some odd year campaign of misinformation might be that people start saying “wait are you dead ass?” online and getting “I am being literal.” as a response and people get pissed off until the word just cannot be used anymore because it can only confuse people and there’s actually no context that can make the word more useful than just guessing based on the other context clues.
Why do that to a perfectly good word that is sort of important when people are constantly speaking in riddle
You can’t actually use “figuratively” when you use “literally” though.
“It is figuratively raining cats and dogs” isn’t actually correct. You have to say “it’s raining cats and dogs, figuratively speaking.” “Figuratively” describes the expression. It doesn’t modify it.
“It’s literally raining cats and dogs” does modify the expression, and in an important way. Sometimes people say it’s for adding emphasis, which isn’t wrong, but being more precise about it, “literally” here is saying that the amount of rain currently happening is the precise amount of rain that the expression was invented to describe. Which actually is pretty close to the prescriptively correct usage of “literally” to begin with but as applied to expressions and not words - asserting that the literal meaning of the expression currently applies. I’m not just saying it’s raining cats and dogs, it really is raining cats and dogs right now in the true sense of that expression.
When you say “it’s literally raining cats and dogs” you are speaking figuratively. Figuratively describes the mode of speech. It doesn’t describe the amount of rain.
What’s more, often the use of “literally” isn’t even a figurative mode of speech but actually a metaphorical mode of speech. “I literally died laughing” is not a figurative mode of speech. It is a metaphorical mode of speech.
Many dictionary writers seem to think that when people are using literally they are using a synonym of figuratively that fits the same exact grammatical structure as literally
And yes, this:
Is exactly what I’m getting at.
And yes also you can say something is figurative or metaphorical but the important part here is that if literally means metaphorical or figurative it means non-literal. I chose “figurative” so I wouldn’t have to say “non-literal” and make the whole thing impossible to parse. I’m pretty sure metaphorical language is a subset of figurative language anyway.
The result of this 30 some odd year campaign of misinformation might be that people start saying “wait are you dead ass?” online and getting “I am being literal.” as a response and people get pissed off until the word just cannot be used anymore because it can only confuse people and there’s actually no context that can make the word more useful than just guessing based on the other context clues.
Why do that to a perfectly good word that is sort of important when people are constantly speaking in riddle
I’ve never agreed with someone more strongly in my life. You’re my Lenin.
Grammatic Centralism speeds us to victory over the forces of Capital!