Words, words, words

[vettecat]

I spent a fair chunk of time tonight on the phone with a tech support guy at Comcast, trying to resolve a connection problem. (It's working now, obviously.) At one point in the conversation, after he'd told me to change a computer setting, I said, "Okay, it seems to have reacclimated." He said, "What?" I repeated myself, and he asked me to define "reacclimated." Then he asked me to spell it. Then he got all excited about having learned a new word, and started throwing it into the conversation at random moments. Which was amusing, but... I didn't think that was such an obscure word. What do you think? Was he out of touch, or have I just been spoiled by having intelligent and well-read friends?

Comments

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Interesting... thanks for the splice.

[pressburger.livejournal.com]

Webster also had an interesting one for literally, which notes that literally has a meaning that it "exaggerated."

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Very interesting...

[pressburger.livejournal.com]

One entry found for literally.




Main Entry: lit·er·al·ly
Pronunciation: 'li-t&-r&-lE, 'li-tr&-lE, 'li-t&r-lE
Function: adverb
1 : in a literal sense or manner : ACTUALLY
2 : in effect : VIRTUALLY
usage Since some people take sense 2 to be the opposite of sense 1, it has been frequently criticized as a misuse. Instead, the use is pure hyperbole intended to gain emphasis, but it often appears in contexts where no additional emphasis is necessary.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

That's funny b/c it does sound wrong when people use it that way.

[pressburger.livejournal.com]

It's an odd thing when a word has opposite meanings.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Like "cleave."

[pressburger.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Eventually I predict that inflammable will mean not flammable.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

I think some people already think it does.

[pressburger.livejournal.com]

Once enough people do it will become official.