I would literally ban that word

Daily writing prompt
If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?

Using extra words in a sentence has been something that I have struggled with for a while now. So, if I were to say that I have never used flowery language in a sentence, that would be a lie. Besides an indulgence in becoming too wordy in my sentences, I became completely enthralled with the television show Parks and Recreation. I loved the show but the eye twitching I experienced every time Rob Lowe‘s character Chris Traeger said “literally” was real. It wasn’t his character‘s repetitive use of the word but the misuse of the word and how we as a society misuse that word so much. To hear someone say, “That has literally got the stupidest thing I have ever heard,” or “That was literally the best cup of coffee I have ever had,” or “You are literally the funniest person I have ever met.” Insert metaphorical and literal eye twitches and eye rolls. 

So, if I had the power to get rid of a word, it would literally be to get rid of literally.


Images:

Rob Lowe at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Knife Fight by David Shankbone – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19264998

Parks and Recreation Logo accredited to NBC – Official website, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76152756

Rob Lowe Literally Gif accredited to Tenor.com

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