literally, literally, literally, literally
BBC: Man freed from collapsed building
Eyewitness Anthony Gilberthorpe told BBC News 24: “I heard a mighty explosion and about two floors and the roof of a building to my left hand side was literally showering down in front of me.
“So I literally threw myself, literally jumped up and threw myself, to the right hand side of the road not knowing whether I was going to be hit.”
Mr Gilberthorpe saw a van driver step out of his vehicle moments before it was hit by a huge piece of debris.
“What I did see which was quite shocking was a huge boulder went right through his vehicle, literally where he had been 15 seconds previously and I think that’s the most frightening thing that I actually witnessed.
Oh… my… god. Four literallys and a bonus actually.
Mr Gilberthorpe, you have catapulted yourself into the literally hall of fame. In fact, from now on, when someone commits multiple instances of literally abuse, it shall be known as “a gilberthorpe”.
(Thanks, Sahra)
July 5th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
i can understand ridiculing the man on overusing the word… but it seems to me that he was using it in the correct manner… he did literally do all of the things he described… he did not figuratively jump and throw himself onto the road, otherwise, he’d have been crushed horribly. and literally, the man HAD been there 15 seconds ago.. what’s wrong with that? a roof showering down can also literally happen as well.
i could understand, if he had said “i literally jumped ACROSS the street” or something ridiculous like that… but literally throwing yourself to the side of the road seems plausible…
July 17th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
The whole point of this website seems for insecure pseudo-intellectuals to feel superior. I could pick apart “throwing yourself to the side” and the other statements, but it’s a waste of time. The man’s not the most eloquent person in the world, but he communicated what was asked of him, in front of the television camera.
I think the website author and his supporters should literally shove it up they’re arses.
August 4th, 2007 at 6:59 am
I’m literally disgusted by this one, ’cause it’s just plain wrong! The man literally did what he said he did, and he literally saw what he said he saw, and you’re literally just being a bunch of snotty snobs, and I’m literally outta here!
September 25th, 2007 at 11:19 pm
Well, two of the four times I think, best I can tell, literally was used literally. But I do wonder if it’s possible to literally throw oneself? But, then, one can literally do the act conveyed by throw oneself, even if said act is not literally throwing.
January 25th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
It’s a website about the overuse of the word…get it in you.
January 25th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
And Ellen, about throwing yourself, whether or not he literally threw himself…had he not used the word literally, the sentence would still have been completely acceptable since throwing is defined as:
“To cause an object to move rapidly through the air.”
January 25th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
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