literally spinning
December 18th, 2005 by Fitz
S. Yuhan submitted the following:
Mad About You (The Washington Post)
As lawmakers raced between the chamber and Frist’s office, reporters surrounded Frist chief of staff Eric Ueland. “It was a nonstop rant to build up to a political stunt!” Ueland said of Reid. As he leveled these charges, Ueland turned in a 360-degree circle so that all the journalists could hear him.“You’re spinning!” one of the reporters observed.
In this case spin has two meanings:
- to revolve around one’s own axis
- to provide an interpretation (in a way meant to manipulate public opinion)
This is an example of someone not using literally when it easily (and correctly) could have been used.
Do you think it would have been better (or funnier) to have used literally here? Discuss in the comments.
December 25th, 2005 at 12:45 pm
I think it’s fine without the literally. More subtle. I’m sure everyone understood the double entendre (pardon if that’s spelled wrong), and if they didn’t then screw ‘em.
January 3rd, 2006 at 3:34 am
Perhaps not, but someone should have said “Bill Frist is literally an asshole”
March 6th, 2006 at 2:33 pm
Maybe it’s just me, but to say “You’re spinning, literally,” would have required a response from Ueland. Am I making sense? Adding ‘literally’ to the observation would have given it the quality of an affirmation, which Ueland would have needed to counter. As it was, everyone got to hear and appreciate the crack without Ueland getting an opening. That’s a tough crowd.
Yet another interpretation: In my workplace argot, ’spin cycle’ is reserved for times when someone is observed to be in over their head, and furthermore, is not even grasping what needs to be done. National partisan politics is a fine example of the spin cycle.
It is too bad the reporter didn’t actually say ’spin cycle’ to avoid confusion with ’spin’.