# What were you THINKING? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 13, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532 "2023-10-13T19:36:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 70
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1381 "2024-02-26T16:46:01Z")
> [@bobsmom101](#): > > My “problem” is that I’ve been watching outtakes of DJT’s performance at CPAC and I’m in a really pissy mood. How do you tell the outtakes from the takes accepted? ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1382 "2024-02-26T17:50:21Z")
> [@Sylvanz](#): > > Scanners, that’s who, and that was pretty literal too. In a movie way. 🙂 That was my answer! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1383 "2024-02-26T20:20:51Z")
No joke, people who use “literally” as an intensifier really are the dumbest people imaginable. It’s seriously not just lazy writing, it’s actually a form of genuine brain damage. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1384 "2024-02-26T20:25:58Z")
Are you saying that anyone who uses “actually” as an intensifier is exhibiting brain damage? Or that they are damaging your brain when you are forced to read their writing? Actually, I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1385 "2024-02-26T20:28:44Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Are you saying that anyone who uses “actually” as an intensifier is exhibiting brain damage? It’s really a brain-twister, isn’t it? Truly impossible to know what someone is thinking when they use adverbs as intensifiers, especialy adverbs based on adjectives like “true,” “actual,” “real,” or “literal.” ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1386 "2024-02-26T20:32:58Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > they use adverbs as intensifiers Aren’t _all_ intensifiers necessarily adverbs? Or do you subscribe to a less traditional English word classification? ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1387 "2024-02-26T20:33:12Z")
If Abraham Maslow were alive today, he’d come up with the theory of self-literalization. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1388 "2024-02-26T20:57:56Z")
I can’t think of a way to use “actually” as an intensifier. Unless “as a matter of fact” is considered an intensifier. You know what? Never mind, it’s probably the brain damage talking. 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1389 "2024-02-26T21:04:25Z")
Ahhh, I fucked up the joke. I changed the first “actually” to “literally” to fix it. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1390 "2024-02-26T22:47:31Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > I can’t think of a way to use “actually” as an intensifier. Since I threw out the word _actually_, it wasn’t as an “intensifier”, but rather in response to the lament that there is no word we can use to mean “literally” anymore. “Actually” is still used when something literally happened, as in _it really did occur_. No confusion; easy peasy. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1391 "2024-02-26T23:13:51Z")
Works for me. I’ve surrendered in the “literally” war. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1392 "2024-02-27T00:02:56Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > “Actually” is still used when something literally happened, as in _it really did occur_. No confusion; easy peasy. It’s close, but it’s not always identical. Imagine someone grasped his own tongue (dumb example, but it’s been a long day). “He literally held his tongue” doesn’t convey the same meaning as “He actually held his tongue”. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1393 "2024-02-27T00:06:15Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > “He literally held his tongue” doesn’t convey the same meaning as “He actually held his tongue”. You have a point here. Saying a person “literally” held their tongue would mean that a person reached up and grabbed their tongue with their hand. Saying they “actually” held their tongue could mean that, or could mean they “actually” took the step of “figuratively” holding their tongue and choosing not to speak on an issue. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1394 "2024-02-27T00:12:35Z")
The word “literally” still means “literally.” Rub two fucking brain cells together and you can figure out whether it’s being used as an intensifier or literally. Like I said above, millions to hundreds of millions of people use this word and seemingly have no issue figuring out what meaning is meant, and yet the high-IQ literati of the SDMB apparently can’t figure it out. I’ve only seen one example in all the dozens of hashed and rehashed threads on everyone’s favorite English language bugbear where there could have been some ambiguity in what sense of the word was meant. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1395 "2024-02-27T00:12:41Z")
I REFUSE to give up on literally! I recall one night when a local reporter on television said an athelete was “Literally on fire.” I grew sore roth and shouted at my set. I am I Doctor Cathode, a Son Of The Ether- my destiny calls and I go! (and I can’t remember enough other lyrics to do a whole song. But you get my point. I’m going to put on my chrome armor, pick up my lucite lance and go into battle. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1396 "2024-02-27T00:20:06Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I REFUSE to give up on literally! Are you literally refusing literally or figuratively? ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1397 "2024-02-27T00:20:44Z")
This far and no farther! A line must be drawn here! ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1398 "2024-02-27T00:23:12Z")
Rub two brain cells together and you can find a more appropriate “intensifier.” No one is confused. NO one. It is simply the wrong word used for the wrong purpose. Quit standing that “confused” strawman up. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1399 "2024-02-27T00:31:18Z")
> [@Sylvanz](#): > > It is simply the wrong word used for the wrong purpose. When most of the population uses a word in a certain way, that way is not wrong. It’s just another usage. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/1400 "2024-02-27T00:34:10Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > When most of the population uses a word in a certain way, that way is not wrong. Cite? Specifically that most of the population of English speakers use literally in this way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532.md?page=69) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532.md?page=71)