When it comes to using word properly, a good dictionary can usually put your right.
Not so in the case of the heavily overused word ‘literally’, which is used in general conversation to provide emphasis, sometimes with comic results: ‘This will literally knock your socks off.’ But the Oxford English Dictionary now includes the following definition of the word:
Literally, Adverb
1. In a literal manner or sense; exactly.
2. Used to acknowledge that something is not literally true but is used for emphasis or to express strong feeling.
The dictionary’s inclusion of the second meaning caused a storm around the world, literally. It seems that in this case, the word has been used wrongly so often that it’s now right. I would not advise using ‘literally’ in its second sense in written work, especially formal writing. But within a few years we might all be using it this way, having forgotten that it seemed so counter-intuitive at first.
It’s a great example of how English constantly changes, and that there are no sacred cows in our language. I predict that ‘comprise of’ will soon get the nod from the venerable OED, closely followed by ‘a myriad’ (should just be ‘myriad’), ‘beg the question’ (means ‘avoid the question’, but generally used to mean ‘prompt the question’) and ‘centre around’ (just think about it – it’s a physical impossibility. Should be ‘centre on’).
