Hopefully, this bit of news won't upset you language purists too much: the Associated Press Stylebook has just affirmed that they've approved the use of "hopefully" ... via (gasp!) Twitter, no less:

“We now support the modern usage of hopefully,” the tweet said. “It is hoped, we hope.”

Previously, the only accepted meaning was: “In a hopeful manner.” As in, “?‘Surely you are joking,’ the grammarian said hopefully.”

This is no joking matter.

“We batted this around, as we do a lot of things, and it just seemed like a logical thing to change,” says David Minthorn, the deputy standards editor of the Associated Press. “We’re realists over at the AP. You just can’t fight it.”

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