I cringe when people use this word because very few seem to know when it is
appropriate. You will hear people say such things as:
"I am now officially mad."
"This is officially the best movie ever."
"That was a bad idea -- officially."
I don't know whether or not people in general are
ignorant, or if they use this word because they have some
warped idea that it makes their speech
cute. Think before you use this word. On whose
authority do you have it that
The Matrix is the best movie ever? Does some
agency keep track of your moods and issue a
press release when you're mad? No. When the word is used in the aforementioned context, it has
ZIF --
zero information content. It means absolutely nothing.
People have been
misuing this word for far too long.
Where is the outrage? Your thoughts and opinions are not OFFICIALLY anything. Use this phrase
if and only if a
confirmation of something has been made by an
official source. Get it? If you hear your fellow man use this word inappropriately and you don't let him know, you are doing him --nay, the world!-- a
disfavor.