I enjoy a good hyperbole. I even appreciate when it goes awry. Sometimes I hear myself going way too far and I attempt to undershoot it and it ends up not being hyperbole at all. For example, if it's particularly hot in a room, I'll start to say that it's 86million degrees in there. As I'm saying it, I decide that 86million just sounds too over the top.
"Man, it's like 86 degrees in there!"
"Oh, is it? That seems about right. I have a fan going."
Hyperbole fail. There's an appropriate over/under to consider when using hyperbole, and a 5 to 10 degree difference is not it!
On the other end, however, is when I'm very much not using hyperbole. I am not exaggerating, yet people still assume I am.
"What did you do this weekend?"
"Not much. I stayed in on Saturday."
They think I mean I just didn't go to a party, or that I spent a quiet evening in with pizza and a movie. No. I do not mean this. What I mean is that I spent Saturday assing around. I ate one meal that consisted of Cheerios and I snacked on Reese's Pieces. I didn't walk any farther than to my bathroom. I stayed in my pajamas all day. I did not shower. That is what I mean by not doing much and staying in.
It was about 77 degrees in my room and I did have a fan going. There was really no need for hyperbole.
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