New abbreviations, word combinations and word usage have become the pattern of communication for millennials thanks to the internet and social media boom. BRB, TTYL, Mansplaining, Milkshake Duck, are all a result of the ever-evolving language of the younger generation. Sometimes, it also leads to a sentence construction that might not be correct as per the traditional grammar rules. For instance, using ‘like’ at the beginning, middle and end of every sentence was a trend many found annoying. Another word that has caught on in recent times is ‘literally’, even in contexts where it is incorrect. While grammar purists can’t help getting annoyed, a New York bar has decided to take matters into its own hands by banning customers who use the word ‘literally’! The bar has banned the word in a bid to quash the ‘Kardashianism’.
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The Daily Mirror notes that these days, ‘literally’ is often used as a crutch word and arrived on the scene around the time young people started saying ‘like’ unnecessarily.In fact, sometimes, people use ‘literally’ when they mean ‘figuratively’, and that truly irks grammar nazis. “I literally can’t believe you said that,” is an example of incorrect usage of the word ‘literally’. And the owner of dive bar Continental in New York’s East Village was so upset by the erroneous placement of literally that he completely banned it from his premises. The bar has also put up a notice outside, which calls for people using the word ‘literally’ to immediately leave! “Sorry but if you say the word ‘literally’ inside continental you have five minutes to finish your drink and then you must leave,” reads a part of the notice. The sign was spotted by a Twitter user who shared a picture of the same on the micro-blogging site.
The owner, Trigger Smith told Grub Street that the notice has been hanging in the bar for five or six days, but just recently started getting noticed. He says that he is sure this problem is happening across Australia and Egland too. He adds, “And it’s not just millennials,” he added. “Now you hear newscasters using ‘literally’ every three minutes on the Sunday news shows. What’s annoying is people aren’t even aware they’re saying it. How could you be so unaware of your words that it’s coming out every couple minutes?”
Check out the notice put up by the New York bar here:
Though some found the notice hilarious, many disagreed with the ban on the usage of the word.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time the Continental has made waves for unusual bans. The dive, frequented by The Ramones frontman Joey Ramone, and punk icon Iggy Pop, was attacked in the past for an “unwritten dress code” that banned “saggy jeans.” The Independent reports that Continental is ‘literally’ closing in June – so the ban, nor the bar, won’t be around for much longer.