Thursday, just before lunch, and of course I am involved in an online discussion about issues of the day, and I come across some bumpkin that doesn’t understand the meaning of the word “literally”.
How do you explain to somebody that they haven’t any sort of grasp of the meaning of a word like “literally”?
It means that it factual and verifiable, and all too often think it’s the right word to use, when, in fact, they should be using the word “figuratively” rather than the word “literally”.
Yeah, I know, it’s a pretty minor thing to get worked up about, but words matter, you know?
I hope you kids, and I write this intended to be read by my future grandchildren, take a little pride in being literate and eloquent. Know what words mean, and when to use them in the appropriate context.
That doesn’t mean that you use your words to bully those around you.
Years ago, I worked with a man that had a Ph.D. in Linguistics from Cambridge. He was proud of his achievement, and rightfully so. That said, on occasion, he and I would engage in conversation and he would regularly throw out these five-dollar words that left anybody within earshot scrambling for a dictionary.
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I told him that he wasn’t a great communicator. He became unglued.
But he also didn’t understand the problem. Communication is a two-way process, and he spoke well, and with a flourish, but at the same time, he left some of us baffled due to his tendency to use words we couldn’t understand.
Know your audience. If you’re talking with high school students, speak like at a high school level. If you’re talking with Ph.D.’s, speak at a more educated level.
If you’re speaking to Donald J. Trump… I’d guess a fourth-grade level would be a good starting point, but be ready to dumb it down a bit if needed.
Peace y’all.
