Guest Opinion: You’re Literally Speaking Incorrectly

by Jake Klein

There is an epidemic that has plagued our nation. People all across America have been speaking incorrectly. They have been using the word “literally” incorrectly or unnecessarily in their everyday speaking. The incorrect use of this word is like a social trend: it came out of nowhere, and now it seems everyone is doing it.

I am what most would call a grammar Nazi. Because of this, I’m going to give you a quick crash course on how to use this word correctly so that many years from now you won’t say to your college English professor, “I literally did my homework last night.”

“Literally” can be used in three different ways. The first is in translations of foreign languages. With translations, literally means ‘word-for-word’. For example, someone may ask, “How do you say ‘My name is’ in French?” To which you could reply, “Je m’appelle, which literally translates to ‘I call myself,’ but basically means ‘My name is’.”

The second use is with exaggeration. You may say to your friend, “I called you a thousand times last night! Why didn’t you answer?” Now, you most likely did not call him 1,000 times, but you were exaggerating. However, if you actually did call him one thousand times, you could say, “I literally called you a thousand times last night!” 

The third use of the word is with commonly said expressions. For example, “raining cats and dogs” is an expression meaning it is raining a lot. But if for some strange reason, cats and dogs are falling from the sky, you could correctly say, “It’s literally raining cats and dogs!” A more realistic example is the expression “it blew me away,” meaning it was very impressive or surprising. “The scientist’s project blew me away!” If the scientist’s project was demonstrating a giant fan that physically pushed you across the room, you could humorously say, “The scientist’s project literally blew me away!”

Here are some words/phrases that can be used instead of the word literally: seriously, honestly, honest to goodness, totally, not-even-kidding, and really. 

So what did we learn today? The word “literally” can be used only

1. When explaining a translation word-for-word.
2. When the rest of your 100% honest sentence may be taken as exaggeration (called you a thousand times), or as an expression (blew me away).
3. When using a differentiating between a common expression like figures of speech and real situations 

So many people today are using this word incorrectly that the correct definition and use of the word, sadly, is dying. Sound smart, be smart, speak correctly, and the world will be a better place, literally. 

Want more info on the correct use of the English language? Watch Weird Al Yankovic’s “Word Crimes,” a parody of “Blurred Lines,” on YouTube.

Guest Opinion: There's No Code for Sexualization

by Akeeya Sylvester

Imagine this: your five-year-old daughter was sent home because her skirt rode up a little too high. You say it’s no big deal, but is it? What is this teaching her?

A five-year-old little girl should be worried about what color crayon she wants to use, not worrying about “trusted” teachers and older men goggling at her skirt and tights. The problem with the dress code that has been drilled into a girl’s head from a young age is that it’s teaching girls that they should be viewed as sexual beings. Look at it like this: a young boy can take off his shirt and run around without the worry of an older woman wanting to sexually harass him. A young girl will wear a shirt that exposes her shoulders, and instantly, adults are drilling in her head that “flaunting” around a body like that will attract predators.

Why are we putting all this pressure on the girls? It’d be simple to drill it into a young boy’s head that touching any girl without consent is inappropriate, so we could prevent events like rape and sexual harassment from happening. “Let boys be boys” is no excuse; a boy is taught the way he acts by people he looks up to and by never being taught what he’s doing is wrong. Instead schools and media focus in on body parts on girls, like showing bit of stomach, shoulders, or thighs. Simple body parts that could easily have no meaning are given a reputation to be viewed as sexual. It does not have to be that way.

For example, at the age of 12, I was sent to the office because my shirt was cut “too low.” I was pulled out of class to go to the office and hear a lecture about my body, concerning the way it was covered. Who reported it? An adult.  

When young children are put in a classroom, they pay attention to the teacher. Some students may doodle and some may talk when they’re not supposed to, but I have never in my life known students in middle school or younger pay attention to the way their classmate’s collar bones show. At that age most young girls are not even fully developed, yet they’re still being sexualized for something they don’t have yet. Young boys may be curious, but something as innocent as shoulders showing should not drive their imagination wild. It shouldn’t for adults either.

A child or teen with a pair of shorts that fit above mid-thigh or a top that has spaghetti straps/no straps most likely walked out of the house with her parent or guardian viewing what she chose to wear. A school is meant to be a learning environment and should have adults capable enough to not view girls as sexual objects and instead as human beings. If a boy can wear a muscle tee with his entire side being shown, a girl should be able to show her shoulders in her favorite dress, for example. Unless there is a very vivid view of a girl’s privates I don’t believe they should be distracted from learning to be told they could be distracting others. Isn’t the school the one distracting the student? The amount of time a girl spends calling home, changing, or sitting in the school’s office is taking away from her time to be learning in class.

If we put a stop to sexualizing young girls and start teaching young boys the word “no,” then girls could grow up feeling safer and more confident in their skin. I believe our next generation could start a revolution for girls and their children’s future education system. So the next time you look at a young girl and only pay attention to her so called “revealing” shorts, remember in that moment of time you are sexualizing a minor for legs that could easily be viewed as we view boys’.