NO, not literally

You don't have to be an obsessed grammar nerd to know that the word 'literally' is taking up residence in just about every conversation where someone wants to emphasize a point.

For instance, I just read a CNN article containing this quote:

"They don't want to debate the issues with us," he said Thursday in Louisville, Kentucky. "They don't want to debate the issues ... because they know they really literally don't have a political leg to stand on."

Um, no, not literally. Sorry. And no, you did not wait for the subway literally for, like, ever — and you did not literally die of embarrassment.

And if you had, I would miss you.