{"links":{"self":"https://preview.epetitions.website/archived/petitions/54010.json"},"data":{"type":"archived-petition","id":54010,"parliament":{"period":"2010-2015","government":"Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition","dissolution_at":"2015-03-30T23:59:59.000+01:00","response_threshold":10000,"debate_threshold":100000},"attributes":{"action":"Keep the word 'literally' to mean literally","background":null,"additional_details":"The DfE must improve the standard of english being taught in schools. If they did, the OED would not have to pander to those who use the english language incorrectly.\r\n\r\nWhat is wrong with this quote from football pundit Jamie Redknapp? \"In his youth, Michael Owen was literally a greyhound.\"\r\n\r\nThe answer is: nothing. That is because the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary have changed the definition of \"literally\" - so it can now be used in a similar way to \"metaphorically.\"\r\n\r\nSenior OED editor Fiona MacPherson told BBC Radio 5 live's Breakfast: \"If enough people use a word in a particular way... it will find its way into the dictionary.\"\r\n\r\n","committee_note":null,"state":"rejected","signature_count":1,"created_at":"2013-08-19T08:40:39.000Z","updated_at":"2020-02-16T19:29:20.268Z","rejected_at":"2017-06-21T12:42:15.133Z","opened_at":null,"closed_at":null,"moderation_threshold_reached_at":"2013-08-19T08:40:39.000Z","response_threshold_reached_at":null,"government_response_at":null,"debate_threshold_reached_at":null,"debate_scheduled_at":null,"scheduled_debate_date":null,"debate_outcome_at":null,"rejection":{"code":"no-action","details":null},"government_response":null,"debate":null,"departments":[],"topics":[]}}}