Foo - You know, like, you know.

Response: No, I don't know. Am I suppose to know?

What's the deal with filling in between sentences with "you know"? WTF? Yes, I'm a bit fed up with this. I have instructed close friends with this habit to drop it, same can't be said for everyone else with this habit.

Progressing sentences with "like" is even worse. Almost everyone does it, sometimes I would mentally count the number of times a person has said "you know" and "like" until they have finish what they had to say, the numbers are shocking.

"you know" has two purposes. It fills in blank time as the speaker constructs a story on the fly, and it's an attempt to engage the audience in the conversation. at least in a symbolic way.

Do you always instruct your friends in how to speak?

Sad to say, but I am a 35 yr-old professional with a graduate degree, and I still say "like." Blame the era of my upbringing. It's my generation's "you know." I imagine older people in my profession might look down on me for using the phrase, but, like, it's just a convenient vocal mannerism to fill dead air during conversations.

"you know" has two purposes. It fills in blank time as the speaker constructs a story on the fly, and it's an attempt to engage the audience in the conversation. at least in a symbolic way.


Engaging an audience doesn't require the speaker to say "you know" a dozen time in a 2 minute conversation.


Do you always instruct your friends in how to speak?

No, usually the troubling cases, when "you know" and "like" comprises half of what they say.

Duuuuude, chill.

Sad to say, but I am a 35 yr-old professional with a graduate degree, and I still say "like." Blame the era of my upbringing. It's my generation's "you know." I imagine older people in my profession might look down on me for using the phrase, but, like, it's just a convenient vocal mannerism to fill dead air during conversations.

It's much more problematic in the younger generations, my generations. I don't think it's too much of a problem for those 30 years old and above. It shouldn't become too much of an annoyance if used sparingly.


Duuuuude, chill.

Duuuude?

Chill?

Sounds like more than half of what the people in my age group say, along with "what's up homie?"

This is also a pet peeve of mine , so your not alone. How about this rule... Football players should be allowed to graduate untill they can speak for a full minute without saying ummm or like or..... this usually happens when you need to think about what you are saying.

I DARE you to even try to sit through this vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_PVmy1hCbk

Duuuude?

Chill?

Sounds like more than half of what the people in my age group say, along with "what's up homie?"

That was the point.

i'm ok with people filling in every once in a while with it. although on a few occasions, my ex would trail off her comment and end it with:
"and uhh... I dunno... you know?"