Literally Watch!

We note the following as part of our continued campaign against the misuse of the word "literally". On WSFA's 10:00pm newscast last night, in a story about a riverboat relocating to the Alabama River at Montgomery: "The new riverboat is on its way here...literally!" AND, in the Montgomery Advertiser yesterday: "The state retirement system is laughing off an almost $74 Million loss...The Retirement Systems of Alabama can afford to---literally." The problem in both cases is that there is no colloquial expression being used with the word literally. There is no "over the hill" or "end of the road" or "top of his class" or other expression to play off. A word of advice to all producers, reporters and writers: avoid using the word literally! You risk the wrath of your editor and could end up "on the street"...literally.