The trouble with Tucker Carlson

The word "actual" entered the English language in the early 14th century before the suffix "-ly" was added a hundred or so years later. Back then, "actually" meant "real and existing" as opposed to "in possibility". But recently it has taken on a second meaning: to highlight unexpectedness or to contrast with expectation.

There is no greater purveyor of "actually" and its new meaning than Tucker Carlson. Tune into any one of his podcasts, interviews or speeches and the adverb's all-encompassing power is on full display. "Damn you, actually"; "He is evil, actually"; "Who is actually for open borders?"; "If there's one lesson in American politics, it's that people in charge lie, actually, they do!"