Can’t you just stop?!
That’s what I wanted to say to a teenager today as I walked past her. She was recounting some story or another to two of her friends and I swear, this is what her speech was like:
So he was like, “what?” like I don’t, like, know and it was like, “haven’t you ever like, liked someone before?” and he was like, “no,” and so I like…
and on and on it went. I seriously almost stopped to ask her if she could utter three sentences without saying the word “like” once. But I didn’t in case doing so caused her to have, like, a seizure or something.
It’s similar (see what I did there?) to listening to a hockey player give an interview.
And uh, I did my best out there, and uh, I think we played a great game, and uh…
Makes you wonder if they teach it in hockey school. Luckily they don’t hesitate to shoot the puck the way they pause between clauses.
And then there’s those who can’t seem to help dropping the f-bomb (I really hate that phrase – f-bomb) between every third and fourth word. Yeah, I won’t – don’t need to – write an example. Do I? Nah. We’ve all heard it. It can get very uncomfortable too, depending on who you’re with. Chances are there’s no point asking the f-‘ing person to stop – they’ll probably do it all the more because what are they doing it for in the first place other than to get attention?
I suppose we all have our speech patterns though. I think I see mine when I write, which makes me more aware of them. I catch my characters sounding like me… I wish they wouldn’t.
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February 22, 2016 at 1:31 am
Shades of the Valley Girl era…that never completely disappeared. BTW, Football players talk the same way as the hockey players. Drives me bonkers, even if it is a short trip.
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February 22, 2016 at 8:38 pm
Hahaha! Being close to bonkers can be a good thing. It’s the journey that gets you, not the destination. 😉 hehe
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February 21, 2016 at 6:17 pm
Most youngsters when asked to describe a good feeling will say “awesome” When asked to describe awesome they will say “like awesome you know.”
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February 22, 2016 at 8:37 pm
I like to keep “awesome” for awesomely special occasions, like when something’s really really awesome, you know?
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February 23, 2016 at 9:13 am
I understand Linda. That’s so awesome.
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February 21, 2016 at 11:23 am
The “like” thing drives me nuts too.
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February 22, 2016 at 8:35 pm
I know, right? Especially when it’s, like, really like overdone. 😉
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February 23, 2016 at 11:02 am
Ha ha.
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February 21, 2016 at 10:39 am
I hate ‘like’ after every other word as well! My daughter calls me ‘lad’ and ‘bruv’ which annoys me as well!
I am guilty of saying ‘you know’ a lot. I didn’t realise I did it, but now that it has been pointed out, I try my best to curb it!
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February 22, 2016 at 8:33 pm
“Lad”? Now that’s one I hadn’t heard before. Poor you! These habits are hard to break – best of luck with it, Judy. 😀
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February 23, 2016 at 1:15 am
Ha Ha! Well hopefully she will grow out of calling me Lad pretty soon as that one does drive me mad! 🙂
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February 21, 2016 at 9:28 am
Yes, we have the ‘like’ disease here in the UK as well. It drives me, like, crazy!
I see my own tics, particularly in my writing. I wonder if they’re as obvious to others?
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February 22, 2016 at 7:35 pm
Probably more so, unfortunately. 😛
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February 21, 2016 at 8:43 am
My day job is in the consulting world and I just cringe every time someone starts a sentence with ‘so’. To me it translates into ‘I’ve listened to what you said and I’m going to discount it by what I’m going to say’
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February 22, 2016 at 7:34 pm
Yep, that’s usually what it means, though I say it a lot when I’m trying to understand what the other person is saying. And I am sooo guilty of saying it often. Thank you. I need to check my manuscript for the word “so.” 😀
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February 21, 2016 at 7:39 am
I hope it’s ok that I pressed the ‘like’ button 🙂
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February 22, 2016 at 7:28 pm
Ha! Hahahaha!
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February 21, 2016 at 7:38 am
What can I say??
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February 22, 2016 at 7:27 pm
Ha! Certainly not what she said! hehehe
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February 23, 2016 at 2:49 am
:).
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February 23, 2016 at 2:49 am
Well not that fast anyway!
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February 23, 2016 at 7:35 am
That was incredibly fast!!
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February 23, 2016 at 12:32 pm
😉
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February 21, 2016 at 6:59 am
Um, like, what the fuck?
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February 22, 2016 at 6:43 pm
Hahahaha! I have, like, no clue, eh?
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February 21, 2016 at 4:11 am
So true! In fact I had to stop my newly turned 8 year old from overusing the ‘like’ phrase…. It’s more of an American affliction, and she is watching way too much Disney!!!! It’s even said with an American accent!
But the F-Bomb…. Yup that is one dropped in conversations around the world!!!
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February 21, 2016 at 11:15 pm
Yep, it’s a popular word all right. But better an 8 year old say “like” than the more popular one! 😛
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February 22, 2016 at 1:40 am
Very true lol!!!!!
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February 21, 2016 at 2:57 am
Haha I can remember when I was growing up I used to say “you know?” a lot. One day my mom just says our od no where, “Will you stop saying you know after every sentence? Yes I know, if I didn’t I’d tell you”. I didn’t understand what she was talking about, I didn’t think I’d said ” you know” even once. Then I started paying attention and catching myself and I traded it for like 😉
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February 21, 2016 at 11:11 pm
Hahaha! Like, that’s funny, you know? 😉
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February 22, 2016 at 2:11 am
Totally 😉
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February 20, 2016 at 11:56 pm
Like, I know what you mean, cause I like, live with two tweens, and they like, talk all the time and they say like way more than I write it. Even, like, more than I click Like on WP posts. I say like plenty, but not like, ALL THE TIME.
Also, like, have you noticed that everything is fucking BAE?!?!
Sorry. I enjoy the fbombs, like whoa. 😛
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February 21, 2016 at 10:38 am
I’m sick of that Bae as well. I don’t even know what it means but Miss Hap says it all the time!
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February 21, 2016 at 11:40 am
Before Anyone Else. It’s like saying “Tops” or “Best” only it too is said constantly.
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February 21, 2016 at 11:42 am
Oh right, I get it now, but it still gets on my bloody nerves! 🙂
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February 21, 2016 at 12:32 pm
Me too!
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February 21, 2016 at 11:05 pm
So THAT’s what it means! I thought it was just a lazy way to spell “baby.” Fortunately I don’t have to listen to that one often, since I don’t have girls. It is a girl thing, right?
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February 22, 2016 at 5:33 am
It is not just a girl thing, no.
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February 22, 2016 at 8:39 pm
Oh no! I hope mine still don’t come home with it then. 😛
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February 21, 2016 at 11:10 pm
I can see how it could get on the nerves if it’s used all the time. 😛
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February 21, 2016 at 11:07 pm
Like whoa!! Cool it, man! …oh wait, that’s the seventies. 😉
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February 20, 2016 at 11:54 pm
I totally like, like your thoughts!
Now you have me wondering what bad habits I might have. 😉
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February 21, 2016 at 11:02 pm
I know, right? It’s like, I need to listen to myself more often! 😉
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February 20, 2016 at 11:28 pm
I like totally like your thing about talkin’ weird and stuff? And, you know, folks are always, you know, sayin’ stuff and never finishing their sen . . . .
My characters sound an awful lot like me, too.
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February 21, 2016 at 11:01 pm
Hahaha! I’m glad I’m not alone with this affliction. 😛
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February 20, 2016 at 11:17 pm
Ah, this was a great post Linda.
🙂
My brother and I were actually just discussing this very thing, last night. I swear.
It’s a valley girl problem, gone to the extreme of today’s youth especially, but we’re all guilty, to some extent. I know I do say it, in there, from time to time, but it’s nowhere near as often as some young people, who are the next generation or more down from me.
I often say” I’m just saying”. My brother responds with: “Oh, I know you’re just saying.”
🙂
Ah, our speech patterns are as unique as we are, but we humans also can’t help copying each other’s patterns too.
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February 21, 2016 at 10:58 pm
I know – I’ve picked up one or two annoying things from my best friend in the last couple of years. Try as I might, I can’t get rid of them!!
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February 20, 2016 at 9:45 pm
They are the same all over the world Linda, we have some who put an upward inflection on every sentence, sounds really weird i have to say.
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February 20, 2016 at 9:48 pm
Like they’re asking a question with every sentence? Even when it’s not a question? Don’t you hate that? 😉
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February 20, 2016 at 9:49 pm
All day every day.
You have to hear it to believe it…
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February 20, 2016 at 9:51 pm
Oh I know a few people like that. I believe.
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February 20, 2016 at 9:43 pm
Yes, I hear ya! My oldest has a very bad habit of saying “thing” so many times in one sentence. You know? The thing had a thing and it went with that thing… Ugh! It’s not good at all. She has improved since I correct her all the time. 😁
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February 20, 2016 at 9:47 pm
Hehe. I do that, but only when I’m so exhausted I can’t find words to go with objects, or even verbs sometimes.
“Did you thing the thing?”
Luckily my best friend usually understands what I’m talking about. 😛
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February 20, 2016 at 9:48 pm
You make a good point! 😄
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February 20, 2016 at 9:50 pm
It’s not a good thing. You’re right. 😉
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February 20, 2016 at 9:40 pm
I’ve heard people use ‘like’ a lot, and it is so irritating! Here’s one I was hearing the other day at a fast food place. The clerk, at the end of taking an order, would say in a loud voice, “Will that be IT” over and over. Ugh! I wanted to go tell her that it would be better to ask if there is something else the customer wanted, such as, “Would you like a pie with that?” or just anything, to upsell the products. I don’t know, the way she was saying that, it sounded rude.
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February 20, 2016 at 9:43 pm
Hahaha! It’s like, “c’mon, haven’t ordered enough already?” Yeah, that’s good customer relations. 😛
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February 20, 2016 at 9:27 pm
Oh that’s my pet peeve. It’s like when they say it’s like and I like can’t stand it so then I like cover my ears and like….
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February 20, 2016 at 9:33 pm
Hahaha! Like, I know, right?
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February 20, 2016 at 9:36 pm
LOL!
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February 20, 2016 at 9:36 pm
Or should I say “totally”.
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February 20, 2016 at 9:38 pm
You, like, totally should. 😉 hehehe
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February 21, 2016 at 10:16 am
😀 😀
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February 20, 2016 at 9:10 pm
I have a few clients who have no idea how much they are using the F word. Sometimes, in a group, I’ll make a hash mark on the white board each time they say it. Eventually some one will catch on and/or I’ll point it out to them: This is how many times you just said the F word. The heavy F -ers often aren’t aware of it, but some are.
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February 20, 2016 at 9:32 pm
Just like I’m sure the likers, like, don’t get it. 😛 Everyone should be recorded once a year so they can hear themselves.
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