History Main / ExactWords

[[folder:Audio Drama]]

For magical enforcement, see LiteralGenie. Often the cause of ProphecyTwist. LiteralMinded characters just do it because that's how they think. Can be defended against with [[ReadTheFinePrint Legalese]], though might be used (and horribly abused) by a RulesLawyer. If someone follows established rules to annoy someone else, it becomes BotheringByTheBook. If this trope is related to or defines a superpower, it's called a SemanticSuperpower.

A SubTrope of DoubleMeaning. Compare HeroicVow, IWouldSayIfICouldSay, TechnicalEuphemism, IronicEcho, LyingByOmission, and MetaphoricallyTrue. UnhandThemVillain is a specific variant. ThreatBackfire is a common result. It's very commonly used in FalseReassurance. The actual interpretation of the words is often NotHyperbole. When used in response to a question can often result in a MathematiciansAnswer. Can also lead to a LiteralMetaphor, LiteralMoneyMetaphor and to LiteralistSnarking, as well as LoopholeAbuse. Also see NoManOfWomanBorn. Contrast with ILied, for when the opposing party makes no effort to hide the fact that they were not holding to their end. Not to be confused with LiteralMinded. Often a very important part of the ComicallyWordyContract, but easy to overlook because the contract is so damned wordy.

* In one Italian tale, the King isn't happy about having promised his daughter's hand in marriage to a peasant, so he technically fulfills the request, but stations guards in the room, makes them keep all the lights on, and makes the peasant and his daughter [[SleepingSingle sleep in separate beds]], or with a sword between them, or some such. Then he tells his daughter to "answer only no" to whatever the peasant asks her. The peasant proceeds to ask the princess questions like "Do you think it is right to have these guards here when we are lawfully married?" and "Do you think we should have so much space between us?" The princess, naturally, ''answers no'', allowing the peasant to send the guards away, turn the lights off and sleep in the same bed as the princess.

* [[ExactWords/WebVideo Web Videos]]

A SubTrope of DoubleMeaning. Compare HeroicVow, IWouldSayIfICouldSay, TechnicalEuphemism, IronicEcho, LyiingByOmissioin, and MetaphoricallyTrue. UnhandThemVillain is a specific variant. ThreatBackfire is a common result. It's very commonly used in FalseReassurance. The actual interpretation of the words is often NotHyperbole. When used in response to a question can often result in a MathematiciansAnswer. Can also lead to a LiteralMetaphor, LiteralMoneyMetaphor and to LiteralistSnarking, as well as LoopholeAbuse. Also see NoManOfWomanBorn. Contrast with ILied, for when the opposing party makes no effort to hide the fact that they were not holding to their end. Not to be confused with LiteralMinded. Often a very important part of the ComicallyWordyContract, but easy to overlook because the contract is so damned wordy.

A SubTrope of DoubleMeaning. Compare HeroicVow, IWouldSayIfICouldSay, TechnicalEuphemism, IronicEcho, and MetaphoricallyTrue. UnhandThemVillain is a specific variant. ThreatBackfire is a common result. It's very commonly used in FalseReassurance. The actual interpretation of the words is often NotHyperbole. When used in response to a question can often result in a MathematiciansAnswer. Can also lead to a LiteralMetaphor, LiteralMoneyMetaphor and to LiteralistSnarking, as well as LoopholeAbuse. Also see NoManOfWomanBorn. Contrast with ILied, for when the opposing party makes no effort to hide the fact that they were not holding to their end. Not to be confused with LiteralMinded. Often a very important part of the ComicallyWordyContract, but easy to overlook because the contract is so damned wordy.