Gorilla or elephant?

[Howard Clark]

Yeah, I'm with you guys. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. It is very simple, really. There are lots of folk in our country who cannot deal with that simplicity, however.

It does not help anything when many people say "nucular". I don't care how many people say it incorrectly, it is still incorrect. Everyone say it with me now, N U C L E A R. There, wasn't that better.

Language has meaning. Yes, it is a living, dynamic thing, and changes all the time. That I know. It does not mean one has to accept all changes without protest, especially when words are used incorrectly as to their meaning.

[TheKiltedWonder]

It does not help anything when many people say "nucular". I don't care how many people say it incorrectly, it is still incorrect. Everyone say it with me now, N U C L E A R. There, wasn't that better.

Sorry, this is just the linguist in me coming out. The pronunciation "nucular" is attested at least to the fifties and was in use by people connected with the nuclear program. So it's not just modern "stupidity" that has led to the pronunciation. And please don't tell me "well, it's not spelled that way; there's no second 'u'", because we all know how often English is pronounced as its spelled
As for changing meanings, semantic change is common. It can be annoying and you might wanna protest the modern usage, but as professor of mine used to say: "If something is used often enough for you to notice it and be bothered, then it's already too late."
Anyway, here are some examples of language change for any other losers out there who love etymologies (from Historical Linguistics: An Introduction by Lyle Campbell)
For words like "literally" that have changed due to hyperbole:
terribly, horribly, awfully used to mean "full of terror", "full of horror" and "full of awe". Was it Cotton Mathers that wrote something along the lines of "The Awefull Power of God".
and other common examples of semantic shift
dog-originally meant a specific breed of powerful dog.
starve-originally meant "to die" in Old English ( see German "sterben")
Bead-meant "prayer" in Old English, "prayer, prayer bead" in Middle English and now its any small round thing, even of sweat or water.
timber-is related to the Latin word "domus" (house) and the German word "Zimmer" (room)
Silly-meant "happy, innocent" in Middle English and "blessed" in Old English
Disease-meant discomfort, ie "dis-ease".