Prior to his death, whistleblower John Barnett was testifying against Boeing over concerns about standards.

John Barnett had worked for Boeing for 32 years, until his retirement in 2017.

In the days before his death, he had been giving evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company.

Boeing said it was saddened to hear of Mr Barnett’s passing. The Charleston County coroner confirmed his death to the BBC on Monday.

It said the 62-year-old had died from a “self-inflicted” wound on 9 March and police were investigating.

  • maryjayjay@lemmy.world
    418·
    8 months ago

    Literally has been used as an intensifier for over 200 years. The Oxford English Dictionary includes a definition of literally meaning “figuratively”. Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry David Thoreau, James Fenimore Cooper, James Joyce, Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain all used it that way in their writing.

    So until you write something as well respected and enduring as Sanditon, The Great Gatsby, Tom Sawyer, or Ulysses and collect your mother fucking Nobel prize in literature, please choke on a literal dick you confidently incorrect fuckwit.

    • leftzero@lemmynsfw.com
      33·
      8 months ago

      In this case literally literally did mean literally, though, not figuratively. Which makes the fuckwit even more incorrect.

    • Pretzilla@lemmy.world
      1·
      8 months ago

      Wondering if they historically used it more as in a ‘literarily’ sense and with license

      Evolving language and all that

      (I’m not trying to argue anything, just musing)

    • Riskable@programming.devEnglish
      24·
      8 months ago

      I don’t care what justification you throw out. Misuse of literally drives me figuratively insane!