Podcast: Are Norwegians Literally Born on Skis?

Britons are again chortling over the misuse of the word literally, after Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “You see people literally in a different galaxy who are paying extraordinary low rates of tax.”

That’s a long way to go to avoid high tax rates.

Other great uses of literally:

• Soccer player Michael Owen described as “literally a greyhound.”

• Norwegians who are “literally born on skis.”

• Popular books that “literally fly off the shelves.”

• An extremely precise weather forecast that calls for “literally just a spot or two of rain.”

Also in this week’s podcast:

Many courts in the US are cutting costs by using unqualified court interpreters. Local courts say they often can’t afford the fees for certified interpreters. But a growing number of non-English speakers are using the court system. Interpreters argue that miscarriages of justice will become more common if courts use untrained interpreters.