Words Matter, Literally
I’ve had the idea for this article for a long time, and have just waited for something newsworthy to use as the basis for getting it on paper. Recently, that happened, and I hope it shows the power of one word and how the meaning of words really matters.
Words mean things, and those meanings can change over time. However, there are some changes in meaning that can have serious consequences if we do not think them through.
If you look up the word “literally” in a dictionary, you know what to expect; or do you? We know what that word means. We use it to emphasize something that might be a little difficult to understand but that actually happened. For example, when an earthquake hits and a huge building that seemed indestructible is brought all the way down, we might say, “That building was literally destroyed.”
However, did you know that the word “literally” now means the exact opposite, too? On some sites, you will find that one definition of “literally” is “virtually.” On others you will actually read that a definition of “literal” is “not literal.”
It may not seem like a big deal. We hear it regularly in our culture. “When I heard that joke, I literally died.” “When the heat stopped working in our hotel room, we literally froze to death.”
Now, we know what someone means. I am not trying to nitpick here. This post may seem very old fashioned or out of touch…
…until…
a member of Congress uses the word “literally” in a way that could be taken either way and it is dangerous.
This is not a post about politics or any political party. This is a post about our speech meaning something.
But a United States senator recently ended a speech against pro-life Americans by saying, “This is literally a call to arms” against them.
Literally? or “Literally”?
Do you see why this one word actually matters? Was this senator calling for Americans to pick up weapons against their fellow Americans, or was she just using the word “literally” in an accommodative sense and trying to rile people up a little?
The latter is more likely, but, in our heated culture, that one word, “literally,” really matters, doesn’t it?
Words matter. The Bible gives numerous reminders that we must be very careful in what we say. We will give account for “every idle word” that we speak (Matthew 12:36), so we cannot just excuse away things that we say with “well, I didn’t mean that” or “don’t take it so seriously.” The Bible takes our words very, very seriously.
Literally, our words matter.
Literally, we will be judged by them.
Literally, our eternity depends on them.
Am I literally taking that seriously?
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AUTHOR: Adam Faughn
