I MIGHT BE A LANGUAGE PURIST (BUT THERE’S HOPE FOR ME) - PART 2

Written by Laura Oviedo-Guzmán

Maybe you know the story by now, but if you couldn’t or won’t read part one, I’ll catch you up. I had to write a term paper for my Philosophy of Language course. Luckily for me, one of the prompts was about one of my favourite topics–how we managed to shift the meaning of words in our language. Please enjoy the second, shorter part of my paper on how we’ve managed to shift the meaning of the word “literally.” If the closing paragraph makes no sense, I suggest you go back to our February issue to make it more sense.

You Literally Don’t Know What You’re Talking About

Literally–another word with a meaning usurped by the masses. I distinctly remember learning this word from Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. “If something happens literally, it happens; if something happens figuratively, it feels like it is happening” (2007). Maybe this is why I find myself fighting the urge to ask someone why they are not receiving medical care if they “literally died” when they saw an artist perform live the night before.

To my surprise, the word has been used as an intensifier for true statements since the late 17th century. To my even greater surprise, literary greats like James Joyce and F. Scott Fitzgerald were using it as an intensifier for metaphorical and figurative statements, much, in the same way,it is used today (Sheidlower, 2005), following a trend that began in the 19th century. From the 20th onwards, criticism about using the word literally as an intensifier for true and metaphorical statements became popular. Concerns about the word’s “true” meaning being completely opaqued by its new use made their way online, like the Boston.com article titled Literally the Most Misused Word (2011).

I have some ideas about the shift of use regarding this word. I believe this was a calculated liberty concerning the literary greats’ usegreats’. They purposefully chose to transplant this word to involve the reader in the reality they built in their work. I am sure someone could make the same argument about, for example, TikTok users’ use of this word, that they are trying to draw the viewer into their felt reality, but it just does not stand.

I have reckoned with my elitism and asked myself if literary greats can take these linguistic liberties because they are literary greats. Can they solely base on their prestige as authors? Not in my eyes. For me, this group of people gets a pass because their stories are works of fiction–they are creating a reality that does not exist, not recounting one that does. TikTokers and laypeople I encounter daily often use literally to emphasize something mundane, something that happens in a world where we can all see it and, therefore, does not necessitate hyperbole to make the listener feel like it is real. Said differently, literary greats who write fiction can get away with this shift because we will never experience whatever they are communicating to us beyond the images their language conjures in our minds. Therefore, it makes sense that they literally set the scene and push the message onto us readers. These worlds do not exist, so we need the heavy-handed use of words to bring them into being in our minds. When a person is recounting an event from their lives, like seeing their favourite performer live, the disclosure does not call for the same dramatic use of language. We can understand how exciting and surprising it is to see a performance from someone one admires without hearing about how the other half of the conversation “literally died.”

In the latter instance, I believe people who use it literally in an exaggerated way choose to use it because they believe it lends credibility to whatever they are saying. They have seen it used to refer to something that is factually true, that can be physically referred to by academic authorities (through books, videos, and other media), and have misconstrued’s role as an intensifier. Essentially, they emulate a position of authority and the confidence afforded by their use of the word literally, ultimately shifting its use.

We come back to the question of how much freedom we, as language users, have to change or shift the meaning of words. This case is not as cut and dry as the one concerning emotional labour because, unlike that term, literally’s coiner is not around to intercede and give us their two cents. Of course, we have people like lexicographer Bryan Garner warning us about the risk of losing the true meaning of this word and hordes of people who try to correct others about its use. However, it is unlikely that people will move onto a different intensifier for some time, given its current presence in speech and its pervasive presence on social media. Add to this the fact that the younger generation already receives so much information about the world through social media use, and information about the use of language is no exception. Lastly, Jesse Sheidlower, former editor-at-large of the Oxford English Dictionary, said the following about the word literal during a segment on NPR (2005):

“the literal meaning of ‘literal’ is something like ‘according to the letter.’ So when we use ‘literally’ to refer to something other than individual letters, [we are] already walking down the figurative path”.

Given this glaring shift in use, what right do I have to criticize the use mentioned above of literally when we do not even use it in its original sense?

Final Thoughts

Perhaps I have outed myself as a language purist in this text–I am a massive fan of precision, especially in language, because I believe it makes life easier, especially when talking about important issues our society faces. I also think it makes the conversation more enjoyable when there is no guesswork involved in understanding whether my friend was in danger at an event, but that one might be on me for taking things too seriously. Nevertheless, I continue to be amazed at our capacity to shift the meaning of terms, whether it is through concept creep, artistic choice, or dramatic/legitimizing misuse of a word. The fact that our brains and communities can accommodate novel, albeit incorrect, understandings of a word will always amaze me. However, I still think some examination and restraint are needed to understand the world around us truly.

References Boston.com Staff. (2011, July 19). Literally the most misused word. Www. boston.com. https://www.boston.com/culture/lifestyle/2011/07/19/literally-the-most-misused-word/ Definition of LITERALLY. (n.d.). Www.merriam-Webster.com. https:// www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literally Sheidlower, J. (2005, November 3). Use or Abuse of the Word “Literally.” NPR.org. https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4988053 Snicket, L. (2007). The Bad Beginning. Bt Bound.

With the new spring season just around the corner, it’s a good idea to start looking toward doing something fresh. Springtime is ripe for fresh ideas, the beginning of ambitious adventures, and newborn inspirations. A perfect time for new projects after all the hefty season cleaning, spring is just the right time to look at picking up a different hobby.

Podcasting is a hobby and activity that has been picking up steam in the past couple of years. Nowadays, almost everyone is listening to something like the Joe Rogan Experience or the Weekly Planet. These spoken word shows are fun ways to learn about obscure parts of history, riveting true crime cases, and what’s happening in pop culture media. Though they’re great to listen to, or just having them as background noise while washing dishes, making one is equally fun. Perhaps this season, you could give it a crack and publish your voice and your stories for those who use Spotify and Apple Music daily. Here is how you can start your own podcast!

The first and one of the exciting steps to starting a podcast is planning what you will be focusing on. If you have a burning passion, like history or sports, basing your podcast on that would be a great way to transfer your enthusiasm to the microphone. Whether you focus on one specific topic or change it periodically, the choice is entirely yours. Some podcasts concentrate on movies, but there are shows that bring in new guests of different backgrounds for every episode. Adding your perspective to things makes for a great way to render each edition of the show unique.

Take your interests and experience and run with them!

You should also consider whether you want to do the show alone or with a partner. Both have their pros and cons. Doing the program with a wellknown friend allows for incredible on-air chemistry. There aren’t many things more enjoyable than listening to two friends bickering about current news or the spicy hot takes on celebrity controversy. On the other hand, doing the podcast with someone else limits your flexibility, with scheduling recording sessions becoming a real obstacle. Going solo allows recording on your own time and leaves room for more flexibility in topics and direction. These are important, though both require a strong sense of accountability and consistency.

Once you’ve figured out your million-dollar idea, the next thing to work on is the recording itself. Podcasting, like many other hobbies, is a skill that requires a good amount of learning, practice, and fine-tuning. Starting is as easy as downloading Audacity on your computer and hooking up the closest microphone. Audacity is the golden standard for audio recording software. Easy to use and in-depth enough to modify anything you need; this should be your home base to record and export your new show to different audio formats. Here, you’ll be able to delete, add, split, and more to any recording you make, slowly putting together a show that will grow an audience.

Written by Andres Salazar

As intimidating as it may initially seem, publishing a podcast is pretty straightforward. There is a library of ways of getting your show onto people’s Spotify accounts. Websites like BuzzSprout, SoundCloud, and Transistor are platforms that will register your show on well-known applications like Apple Podcasts. Most publishing platforms have free plans, making it incredibly easy to start being heard by new fans around the globe. The process is often as simple as uploading your mp3 files to the platform, which then publishes them to the most well-known media applications.

In most cases, you can even choose where you want the show to be available. Premium features often allow people to find where the audience is listening from and provide analytics on your most popular episodes. With the publishing of your show being so simple, you’ll find the most complicated part to be keeping up with the Instagram and Twitter pages.

Hearing a recording of yourself is always challenging for the first time. If you’ve ever cringed at yourself from hearing a word or two on an Instagram story, just wait until you witness an hour-long recording. Over time, the more you record and speak into the microphone, the more comfortable you will get. No one is an expert when doing something for the first time. Podcasting can be incredibly rewarding. Building a community of people that tune in every time to hear you talk about whatever you’re passionate about is an incredible journey. The great thing about this hobby is that you can start reaching out to new listeners with the most basic computer and the gaming microphone you use when playing with friends.

Written by Shawn Funk

Have you ever had a great idea for a story but never got around to writing it because you didn’t know where to start? Maybe you scribbled an idea on a napkin once and never looked at it again. Ideas are easy; developing those ideas into something that resembles a story is hard. Experts are waiting to help you! You have written your share of essays, reports, memos, emails, and letters during your time in university. These are all great practices, but if you really want to develop your writing skills, workshops are available from countless online and offline sources tailoring to various writing styles.

I decided to check out a creative writing workshop from the LitReactor website to see what all the fuss was about. I chose this site because the workshops had excellent reviews online, and I am a huge fan of the author, Chuck Palahniuk, who has contributed a lot of content to the website. The site also boasts tons of free articles and essays about reading, writing, and the like. The site offers a variety of workshops that vary in price and length.

The class I signed up for was called Short Story Mechanics, presented by the author Richard Thomas. It was a two-week workshop. The syllabus consisted of seven lectures and seven assignments. The last assignment being the completion of a 4000-word short story. The class was constructed with beginners in mind. Most of the other students had minimal story writing experience.

Pros

You get to write a complete story from start to finish. I had two new pieces in two weeks! The instructor provided excellent and timely feedback on assignments and was helpful throughout the class, answering questions and offering advice. His criticism was constructive rather than destructive; he found a way to work with everyone’s ideas. All assignments are posted to an open forum, so you get to see what others have turned in and the feedback they have received. It was nice to see in his comments; he wasn’t just blowing sunshine.The class was very well structured. I never felt confused about what needed to be done.

The class size was small, about 20 students, and retention was very high. The instructor was also lenient about the final story submission, giving us up to two weeks extra to put it all together. Once the story is submitted, the instructor will edit, give feedback, and provide some information on where you could submit your story for publication.

Cons

This class is too expensive for a two-week course. Coming in at $299USD; it is one of the more expensive workshops on the site. I used some money I received for Christmas to help with the cost. Otherwise, I probably would not have ponied up. Moreover, I was a little disappointed to learn that the classes were not live: this wasn’t really made clear on the LitReactor website or any other reviews I read. Lectures consisted of a small writeup, introducing the topic with links to the stories and essays he assigned for reading. These were adequate, but I prefer live classrooms. Lastly, I did have a small issue with accessing some of the assigned readings on the website. While all work, questions, and comments were posted to an open forum which all students will have access to indefinitely, some of the assigned readings are hidden behind a paywall and are no longer available after the class is over. This problem was partly redressed, as he posted some (not all) of the readings in a word doc in the forum.

Do I recommend this class?

The information in this class is organized well. I left with a clear idea of the structure of a short story, and the assignments were practical. The workshop has lent me another angle of analysis in my reading. Indeed, I was very satisfied with this class. The instructor cut right to the bones and did not waste time on nonsense. His directions were clear, and his feedback was good. It is nice to see the work of others on the forum as well. You can secretly compete against them!

But, I still have a hard time justifying the cost on this one. Compared to a four-month creative writing class at the University for a few dollars more, I am not wholly convinced that the value is there. Did I say he was a professional author with contacts in the publishing industry? That is worth something, but damn.

Overall, I was very satisfied with what I had learned in the class. Like going to a fancy restaurant, the food is going to be great and your tummy will be satisfied, but your wallet will not. I would only recommend this class if you are serious about writing stories, have the money to pay up, and do not have access to a university level creative writing class.

Find the short story called “Good Boy: A Six Sentence Story” inside this issue. The story was written using the structure taught in the workshop. Each sentence represents one structural component: narrative hook, rising tension, conflict, setting, mood/theme, and resolution. Check it out!