An Observation

[Cedwards38]

I don't want to be a language Nazi, but something that I thought would be a passing fancy is hanging around for much longer than I ever dreamed. I know language changes, evolves, and grows but this one is becoming increasingly more annoying to me.

Among the generation that includes those persons 30 and younger, the word "like" has become the kudzu of the English language. It gets inserted into every sentence, and often multiple times, in inappropriate places, and adds nothing to communication. In fact, if interpreted literally, it completely changes the meaning of a sentence in an unintended manner. The word like, as it is intended below means, "of the same form, appearance, kind, character, amount, etc.: "

Here are some examples:

"And I was like really annoyed, and he was like laughing at what I said, and that was like so wrong of him to do that." And so I like turned my back to him and like walked away without another word. And he said like, "wait, come back, because I was like just kidding."

If you remove the word like from this paragraph, it actually expresses the thoughts and feelings that the person is trying to convey. The first person was only like annoyed, meaning they really weren't annoyed but were just something like that. He was furious perhaps, or maybe just slightly perturbed?
The second person was like laughing, meaning they weren't really laughing but were doing something like laughing. Coughing maybe, or clearing their throat, or just making funny noises?
It was like wrong, meaning evil, or nefarious?
He then like turned his back, meaning he twisted his neck, or only really turned his side?
Then he like said some words, meaning he mumbled, or maybe what he said was only like that comment, meaning he really said "stop where you are, because I meant to laugh at your extraordinarily poor use of the English language and wasn't kidding at all"?

Anyway, I'm officially an old curmudgeon. Wait, I'm really only like curmudgeonly!

Thank you for allowing me to like waste your time, meaning it was only a partial waste of your time! :jester:

[CFrance]

I don't want to be a language Nazi, but something that I thought would be a passing fancy is hanging around for much longer than I ever dreamed. I know language changes, evolves, and grows but this one is becoming increasingly more annoying to me.

Among the generation that includes those persons 30 and younger, the word "like" has become the kudzu of the English language. It gets inserted into every sentence, and often multiple times, in inappropriate places, and adds nothing to communication. In fact, if interpreted literally, it completely changes the meaning of a sentence in an unintended manner. The word like means "similar too."

Here are some examples:

"And I was like really annoyed, and he was like laughing at what I said, and that was like so wrong of him to do that." And so I like turned my back to him and like walked away without another word. And he said like, "wait, come back, because I was like just kidding."

If you remove the word like from this paragraph, it actually expresses the thoughts and feelings that the person is trying to convey. The first person was only like annoyed, meaning they really weren't annoyed but were just something like that. He was furious perhaps, or maybe just slightly perturbed?
The second person was like laughing, meaning they weren't really laughing but were doing something like laughing. Coughing maybe, or clearing their throat, or just making funny noises?
It was like wrong, meaning evil, or nefarious?
He then like turned his back, meaning he twisted his neck, or only really turned his side?
Then he like said some words, meaning he mumbled, or maybe what he said was only like that comment, meaning he really said "stop where you are, because I meant to laugh at your extraordinarily poor use of the English language and wasn't kidding at all"?

Anyway, I'm officially an old curmudgeon. Wait, I'm really only like curmudgeonly!

Thank you for allowing me to like waste your time! :jester:
Wow, like, I don't know how to respond to this!:wave:

I know a person in her 30s with a Ph.D. who uses the word "like" as you demonstrated, only not quite as many per sentence. I wonder if it's a substitution for our generation's "uh" or "um."

[manaboutown]

Should this thread like be posted in the Non Villages Discussion? It would be like awesome to have it posted there.

[Ecuadog]

It's like unbelievable.

[CFrance]

Well, I don't, like, like it.

[Penguin]

I don't want to be a language Nazi, but something that I thought would be a passing fancy is hanging around for much longer than I ever dreamed. I know language changes, evolves, and grows but this one is becoming increasingly more annoying to me.

Among the generation that includes those persons 30 and younger, the word "like" has become the kudzu of the English language. It gets inserted into every sentence, and often multiple times, in inappropriate places, and adds nothing to communication. In fact, if interpreted literally, it completely changes the meaning of a sentence in an unintended manner. The word like, as it is intended below means, "of the same form, appearance, kind, character, amount, etc.: "

Here are some examples:

"And I was like really annoyed, and he was like laughing at what I said, and that was like so wrong of him to do that." And so I like turned my back to him and like walked away without another word. And he said like, "wait, come back, because I was like just kidding."

If you remove the word like from this paragraph, it actually expresses the thoughts and feelings that the person is trying to convey. The first person was only like annoyed, meaning they really weren't annoyed but were just something like that. He was furious perhaps, or maybe just slightly perturbed?
The second person was like laughing, meaning they weren't really laughing but were doing something like laughing. Coughing maybe, or clearing their throat, or just making funny noises?
It was like wrong, meaning evil, or nefarious?
He then like turned his back, meaning he twisted his neck, or only really turned his side?
Then he like said some words, meaning he mumbled, or maybe what he said was only like that comment, meaning he really said "stop where you are, because I meant to laugh at your extraordinarily poor use of the English language and wasn't kidding at all"?

Anyway, I'm officially an old curmudgeon. Wait, I'm really only like curmudgeonly!

Thank you for allowing me to like waste your time, meaning it was only a partial waste of your time! :jester:


You make your point about the word "like" but have you ever paid attention of how people use the word "love". I love that color- I love that dress- I love that car. To me the word love has a special meaning and it makes me nuts how it is used to describe a LIKE for something. Cant change anything it just Pi*&^es me off.

[Ceafolks]

It's like unbelievable.

I like agree. Like awesome dude. :wine:

[tomwed]

I did a little research and was quite surprised what a real problem loosing "the L word" is for very smart people. All this time I thought it was only used by young people looking for a common language.

[side note, my ADD kicked in]
What I also accidently found out is there is a National Curmudgeon Day on Jan 15. I don't know how I'm going to celebrate that day yet but I will. Maybe a big party will work. I already have a guest list. Maybe this is old news. I'm still new around here.

And................
If there can be a talk like a pirate day why can't there be an act out like a curmudgeon day.

Thanks for posting.

[CFrance]

You make your point about the word "like" but have you ever paid attention of how people use the word "love". I love that color- I love that dress- I love that car. To me the word love has a special meaning and it makes me nuts how it is used to describe a LIKE for something. Cant change anything it just Pi*&^es me off.
But at least that means something to the speaker, even if the word "love" is used incorrectly. In Cedward's post, the word "like" means nothing to the speaker other than as a filler between words.

[chachacha]

many people (i might be guilty) have a bad habit of putting "you know" in their speech far too often...i guess it is a seeking of agreement or acquiescence, you know?

[KayakerNC]

What I also accidently found out is there is a National Curmudgeon Day on Jan 15. I don't know how I'm going to celebrate that day yet but I will. Maybe a big party will work. I already have a guest list. Maybe this is old news. I'm still new around here.
And................
If there can be a talk like a pirate day why can't there be an act out like a curmudgeon day.

Thanks for posting.

Hey! Who needs a special day?
Just put on your sandals over your black sox and go chase some kids off your lawn. :crap2:

(Kids being anyone under 60 y/o)

[DruannB]

That's a hoot.

Hey! Who needs a special day?
Just put on your sandals over your black sox and go chase some kids off your lawn. :crap2:

(Kids being anyone under 60 y/o)

[Loudoll]

many people (i might be guilty) have a bad habit of putting "you know" in their speech far too often...i guess it is a seeking of agreement or acquiescence, you know?
Caroline Kennedy did this a lot during her first Obama endorsement. I'm trying to imagine her mother during the white house tour using "ya know".
:sigh:

[dbussone]

You make your point about the word "like" but have you ever paid attention of how people use the word "love". I love that color- I love that dress- I love that car. To me the word love has a special meaning and it makes me nuts how it is used to describe a LIKE for something. Cant change anything it just Pi*&^es me off.


Like, I love what you expressed.

[rtharner]

Like this post!

[Cedwards38]

Well, I don't, like, like it.

Does that mean you like the word like? Which would mean that you like like like!:shrug:

[dillywho]

many people (i might be guilty) have a bad habit of putting "you know" in their speech far too often...i guess it is a seeking of agreement or acquiescence, you know?

Back in the late 50's, early 60's there was an expression "don't cha know" that ended most sentences. My brother was a drummer/song writer and he co-authored a song with David Box, their lead singer, titled "Don't Cha Know". It was recorded by David and their band, The Ravens. It became a big hit in England. Ironically, like Buddy Holly, David was killed in a plane crash not long after the band split. Both were Lubbock, TX boys. My brother went on to work in the record business in CA (distribution), and the bass player is currently a Lutheran minister in CA (hard to imagine that). My brother passed away in 2011.

Maybe someone can capitalize on some of today's expressions, "don't cha know"?

[Pointer]

I don't want to be a language Nazi, but something that I thought would be a passing fancy is hanging around for much longer than I ever dreamed. I know language changes, evolves, and grows but this one is becoming increasingly more annoying to me.

Among the generation that includes those persons 30 and younger, the word "like" has become the kudzu of the English language. It gets inserted into every sentence, and often multiple times, in inappropriate places, and adds nothing to communication. In fact, if interpreted literally, it completely changes the meaning of a sentence in an unintended manner. The word like, as it is intended below means, "of the same form, appearance, kind, character, amount, etc.: "

Here are some examples:

"And I was like really annoyed, and he was like laughing at what I said, and that was like so wrong of him to do that." And so I like turned my back to him and like walked away without another word. And he said like, "wait, come back, because I was like just kidding."

If you remove the word like from this paragraph, it actually expresses the thoughts and feelings that the person is trying to convey. The first person was only like annoyed, meaning they really weren't annoyed but were just something like that. He was furious perhaps, or maybe just slightly perturbed?
The second person was like laughing, meaning they weren't really laughing but were doing something like laughing. Coughing maybe, or clearing their throat, or just making funny noises?
It was like wrong, meaning evil, or nefarious?
He then like turned his back, meaning he twisted his neck, or only really turned his side?
Then he like said some words, meaning he mumbled, or maybe what he said was only like that comment, meaning he really said "stop where you are, because I meant to laugh at your extraordinarily poor use of the English language and wasn't kidding at all"?

Anyway, I'm officially an old curmudgeon. Wait, I'm really only like curmudgeonly!

Thank you for allowing me to like waste your time, meaning it was only a partial waste of your time! :jester:


LOL Curmudgeon? you referred to yourself as a "curmudgeon". Who says that anymore? I think you will have to like own the hat. lol

[rubicon]

Well i have often heard some very prominent and public speaking people who had an affection for the "like"word believing it was "so fun".

you really think about it however I would prefer the often spoken and more civilized "like" in sentences rather than the often noun, verb adjective, adverb of the "f"word.

In case some of you have noticed there has been a substantial diminishing of our educational system while the costs of education go up. But as a teacher once told me some of her kids "got no problems"

[OCsun]

Ya gotta love this thread! Just say'in!;)

[Cedwards38]

And Dude, don't get me started on the word dude!

[kathy and al]

In addition to the word "like" I think I would want to include the words "I mean" which starts an awful lot of replies to a question asked. If you listen carefully to most people's answers to a question invariably you will hear "I mean" as started words to the reply. Anyone have an idea why this is so prevalent and what exactly is the purpose??

[TheVillageChicken]

What gets me is the Harvard educated leader of the free world always using the word "gotta" instead of "have to" or "must."

[HiHoSteveO]

Some posters here may enjoy this website link. I certainly do.
Common Errors in English Usage (http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/index.html)

Here's what he says about "like"
like (http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/like.html)

[Cedwards38]

While we're ranting, here is another one for me. I cringe when I hear people say, "he gave 110 percent."
That is not physically possible. The most you can ever do, no matter what, is 100%. Everything you have is 100%. If you then learn to do more, then the definition of 100% changes to that level.

[manaboutown]

Another phrase I hear from somewhat younger folks is "He goes" in lieu of "He said" followed by a quoted statement.

[KayakerNC]

Between the Food Police, the Spelling Police, and now the Language Police; how can anyone in The Villages go wrong? :spoken:

[Miles42]

The older people get the more useless things are needed to occupy one's mind.

[CFrance]

The older people get the more useless things are needed to occupy one's mind.
So we're retired... we've earned the right to think uselessly!:a040::a040:

[NotGolfer]

So we're retired... we've earned the right to think uselessly!:a040::a040:

I loved this comment above. Have any of you noticed (this would be on t.v....maybe some movies) that folks will be asked a question perhaps and the answer comes back like this...."I mean, I don't know the answer to that question!" That sentence wasn't a true example but just wanted to high-light how folks use the statement..."I mean" and it doesn't belong in the sentence. If you haven't, just watch sometime and you will see it's prevelent. I haven't heard as much the "Like, I need to go do my errands!" as we once heard. That was sort of a "Valley Girls" contribution to our society.

[Goober III]

Hey Bro dats m'baby mama, you know what I'm sayin'?

No, not really.

[CFrance]

I loved this comment above. Have any of you noticed (this would be on t.v....maybe some movies) that folks will be asked a question perhaps and the answer comes back like this...."I mean, I don't know the answer to that question!" That sentence wasn't a true example but just wanted to high-light how folks use the statement..."I mean" and it doesn't belong in the sentence. If you haven't, just watch sometime and you will see it's prevelent. I haven't heard as much the "Like, I need to go do my errands!" as we once heard. That was sort of a "Valley Girls" contribution to our society.
I was going to mention "I mean" earlier. I am on a one-woman campaign to stop myself from saying it unless I really MEAN it. So far it's not going particularly well. It seems that I don't realize I've said it till after it's out there.

[tomwed]

The older people get the more useless things are needed to occupy one's mind.

I'll have to think about that.

[jebartle]

Me NO "likey" also!