Changing words character in changing market demands

Now that “literally” also means “not literally” according to even the venerable Oxford English Dictionary (OED) — not to mention fickle online compendiums — prescriptivists have literally nowhere to turn anymore for real absolutes. It must be acknowledged, however, that the ability to adapt to changing market demands is the mantra of the 21st century and this is as applicable to words as to any other human tool.

So, when pilloried by etymological fanatics, dictionary compilers can always take refuge behind the apocryphal comment attributed to John Maynard Keynes that “when the facts change, I change my mind” to explain their sudden aboutturn, equating literal with figurative. After all, given our predilection for emphatic expression these days, the co-option of suitable words to swell the ranks of traditional tools such as appropriate punctuation marks is inevitable.

Once shanghaied into alternative roles, prolonged, innovative (mis)use of words can literally change their character, as their raison d’être depends on their utility. Words end up dead if they don’t stay ahead.

So, purists should be grateful that the definition of “literal” has merely been broadened, instead of being (literally) transformed into something entirely different. Just look what happened to words like “awesome” and “gay”, not to mention “web”.