Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.

Pablo Picasso

If you are a bookish person like me, you are probably already familiar with the definition of the word literally. In fact, there is a good chance that you are one of those people who enjoy pointing out when one of your less-enlightened friends uses the word incorrectly. If you happen to be unfamiliar with the difference between literally and figuratively, the ever-lovely Lemony Snicket explains it expertly here:

Why do so many people use the word literally when, in fact, there is nothing literal about their statement at all? Why do students say “that class is literally hell” when, on the contrary, the class is quite secure in the mortal realm and involves no demons or eternal fire of any sort? Why did your forgetful friend who left her coat at home say “I’m literally freezing” when, in fact, it is only 12°C outside and it is quite impossible for any water in her body to be turning solid at the moment?

Like many of life’s great mysteries, the answer to these questions may not be what you expect. Let’s take a closer look at the world of linguistics and grammar to understand the strange phenomena of literally’s irregular usage.

Learn the Rule Like a Pro

A lot of people assume that the figurative use of the word literally is a recent phenomenon introduced by those darn teens who don’t know how to speak properly. However, that sentiment is sadly mistaken. Here are some examples that show how English speakers have been using a figurative sense of the word literally for centuries:

• “And with his eyes he literally scoured the corners of the cell.” Vladimir Nabokov, Invitation to a Beheading, 1935.
• “He literally glowed.” F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, 1925.
• “Lily, the caretaker’s daughter, was literally run off her feet.” James Joyce, Dubliners, 1914.
• “Literally, I was (what he often called me) the apple of his eye.” Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, 1847.
• “The wretch did not make a single remark during dinner . . . whereas I literally blazed with wit.” William Makepeace Thackeray, Punch, 1847.
• “‘Lift him out,’ said Squeers, after he had literally feasted his eyes in silence upon the culprit.” Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby, 1838.
• “Every day with me is literally another yesterday.” Alexander Pope, in a letter to Henry Cromwell, 1708.

These aren’t just random writers – these are the greats that we happily teach in universities and high school. What’s going on here?

To fully understand the figurative use of literally, you must start with a specific type of figurative language.

The Hyperbole

A hyperbole is when you use exaggerated, obviously unrealistic language to make a point. To be precise, the Oxford English Dictionary’s definition of a hyperbole is “exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.” Here are some common examples:

• I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.
• She’s carrying the weight of the world right now.
• Lol! (Seriously – how often are you actually laughing out loud when you text this?)

So in the above examples, our beloved literary masters are using the word literally as a hyperbole. They’re using literally in a non-literal way.

But such a bizarre usage must be linguistically or grammatically incorrect, surely? Yes, I hear you. But language has no rules about excluding certain words from figurative use, and many words have multiple, sometimes conflicting, usages, so it is actually grammatically and linguistically acceptable to use literally figuratively.

Break It Like a . . . Wait, What?

If you don’t believe me, you can turn to our favourite dictionaries:

literally

Adverb

1 – In a literal manner or sense; exactly.

1.1 – informal Used for emphasis or to express strong feeling while not being literally true.

The Oxford English Dictionary

literally

Adverb

1 – In a literal sense or manner: such as . . .

2 – Used in an exaggerated way to emphasize a statement or description that is not literally true or possible.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Why English Is Weird

I know this answer is probably not what you were expecting. The thing is lots of words have multiple definitions and usages. The word dope can mean “stupid person” or “very good” (or “illegal recreational drug”) depending on how you use it. The word rank can refer to social status or a terrible smell. The words flammable and inflammable mean the exact same thing, “easily set on fire,” even though they sound like opposites. Words have odd, conflicting usages all the time. It’s just that with the word literally, the conflicting usage is so obvious that it’s almost ironic.

The only thing that using literally figuratively offends is our sense of logic. But there are many other parts of English that would be much more logical if we did them a different way. The best example is our spelling: it’s notoriously inconsistent and a nightmare to learn. The reason we don’t update our spelling to better match modern English phonology is because it would be an even worse nightmare to transition to new spelling conventions. In language, what’s conventional trumps what’s logical. While irritating at times, that principle makes sense when you consider that our ability to communicate with strangers depends on having shared language conventions.

Language is a constantly changing tool that everyone contributes to but no one is in conscious control of. You may still be irritated by the figurative use of literally, but it’s not wrong and it’s not going away.