Job Discussion Forums

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

What is the function of the word "like" in Modern Spoken English ? Other than illustrating the idiocy of the user !

johnslat · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 8:11 pm Post subject:

Dear scot47,

I take it you don't like like like it is often used these days.

Regards,
John

Sashadroogie · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 8:16 pm Post subject:

Like, I like like like it is used today, like!

mmcmorrow · Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 143 Location: New Zealand

You might find you have a kindred spirit in Loudon Wainwright III if this song is anything to go by!

As he explains:

It's the four letter word that used to mean 'as if',
And the meaning's covered in cobwebs.

Used to be a preposition; then it was a conjunction
Now it's used as an audible pause.
Oh I hate it when I hear it, especially when I see it;
Gotta stamp it out - there ought to be some laws.

But I'm like, 'Take a chill pill, dude'.

Martin McMorrow, NZ

johnslat · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:06 pm Post subject:

We REALLY need a "Like" button, like facebook has. Very Happy

Regards,
John

buravirgil · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:32 pm Post subject:

likwid_777 · Joined: 04 Nov 2012 Posts: 411 Location: NA

Hard to say, but I've noticed Brits and Aussies use it in different ways. I think Aussies copied the American way.

Brit: It's well Baltic, like!

Aussie: It's like, pretty ****** hot!

It's just young(er) people. The younger they are, the more "likes" will be peppered in sentences. Also, it's usually females who use it the most. In the Aussie case, seems basically like (hehe) a substitute for "um". Get used to it old chap, it's not going anywhere any time soon. Also, I'm going to go out on a limb here, and suggest that many young females may speak like this to seem less "intellectually threatening", and more "cute". Also, it seems to only feature in spoken English. Rarely does it translate into the Facebook comments of people who use it a lot in their spoken English.

Shroob · Joined: 02 Aug 2010 Posts: 1339

I use it far more frequently than I thought I did, it wasn't until I actually paid attention to what I said that I noticed. As likwid_777 suggested, at the end of phrases usually, and I am a Brit.

It's just how language works, to say people who frequently use 'like' are idiots is a bit far.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Articulate people do not need hesitation devices in speech.

johnslat · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 1:49 pm Post subject:

Dear scot47,

Umm, uh, you're like right, er, yanni. Very Happy

Regards,
John

likwid_777 · Joined: 04 Nov 2012 Posts: 411 Location: NA

Sure, even if someone is articulate, they'll use them. If you are tired, or in a situation where your confidence has wavered, you'll drop "ums" or "likes". Assuming you are one of the articulate persons, go and talk to a woman you are hopelessly attracted to, and see which fillers you come up with at the time... Haha.