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16 Jan 2008 @ 11:00, by Enocia Joseph
So I was having a conversation with my mother.
"Do you realise you use the word "like" when you speak?" she said
"Do I? I wasn't, like, aware I was doing it," I said.
"You've done it again!"
"Sorry, mum. At least, like, now I can be more aware when I speak."
"It's the American influence. It really gets on my nerves when I hear people diluting the English language. It's bad enough that there are so many colloquialisms already. Why can't people speak English properly?"
"You have a point, mum."
Now that it has been brought to my awareness, I can like, hear people, like, speaking using that word all the time. Take, like, my bus journey last night. I heard this man and woman speaking and they were, like, using "like" a lot. I guess, like, the word "like" is the equivalent of punctuating your sentences with "you know what I mean" or "right" or "yeah" or "OK".
I do, like, believe it's an American influence. We have so many American films and TV shows these days that you'd think we were, like, living in the States. The British gave Americans the English language and what did Americans give us in return? The word "like."
What are you like?
I'm going to do my utmost to, like, speak without, like, using that dreaded word. In fact, I'm going to make it my new year's resolution (even though I don't believe in making resolutions) to speak proper English like.
Thank you, mum, for making me want to be a better English speaker. I'm, like, so grateful to you as always.
Enocia
Related articles: Bellissimo; Speed Reading; New Year's Resolution and Perfection; A Dedication to My Mother
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Category: Recreation, Fun
5 comments
16 Jan 2008 @ 16:25 by jazzolog : Diagnosis
We're a very self-conscious people, as well as defensive. So, we can escape notice and criticism by not speaking of an object or experience directly and specifically. It's like the experience, but maybe not the real thing. It's, like, cool---but don't get your shorts in a wad if you don't agree. Go with the flow. We live virtual lives over here. It's why we like New Civ so much...like.
16 Jan 2008 @ 16:51 by jmarc : I like you
:) Like rilly!
16 Jan 2008 @ 17:44 by bushman : lol,
Like gag me with a spoon, have the San Fernando valley CA mall rat girls, like, taken over the world? lol.
17 Jan 2008 @ 13:24 by vector8 : Like, friends across the pond...
...HELLO! You guys have given the world so much culture, like, trashy chat shows, CSI in all 50 states (or is it 51), the war against terror, 24, McDonald's and I'm, like, so grateful to you. Actually StarTrek is the greatest sci-fi series ever so Americans are not all bad. :)
I love you guys.
EJ :-)
17 Jan 2008 @ 19:22 by celestial : Like
It may have started with the slogan "I LIKE IKE."
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