This may seem slightly off topic for the class but I have to post a little rant. Today we briefly discussed the use of the word "like" in our language today and how this is such a pet peeve for teachers. My father is a high school English teacher and, personally, I love the way he handles this issue. Whenever students start overusing "like" while speaking he starts counting the number of times the word is used on his fingers--holding his hands up so all the students can see what he is doing. He says his students often get so flustered trying to avoid saying "like" that they often lose their ability to speak. I love this!! The excessive use of this four letter word drives me absolutely crazy! I am not too proud to admit that I too use this word on occasion, but I pride myself on the ability to turn off the use of the word in educational or public settings and only use it sparingly in casual social conversation. Honestly, I wish we could completely eradicate this word from every day usage.
Now to connect this to class in some sense...I think "like" has become a word we use in an attempt to fill in blank spots in our memory or speaking. "Like" has joined the ranks of "um" and "uh" as conversational fillers when we cannot think of the next thing to say. Are these lulls in conversation due to blank spots in our memory or simply our ability to speak faster than we can speak? Regardless of the answer I think we all need to strive to avoid using the word "like" to make up for mental lapses. This is something we can work on together!
If this were on Facebook, I would, like, "like" it. Sorry. I agree with this. I notice that "like" frequents my vocabulary when I am trying to talk to someone while texting, reading, or doing something that distracts me from the conversation. When I am engaged and focused, I also am able, mostly, to turn off my use of "like". Another thing to think about...
ReplyDeleteDo you ever notice how people say a-whole-nother? This is absolutely unacceptable, yet it has permeated the American vocabulary. I have not yet consciously noticed how often I use this phrase, but I notice when others do.
In all honesty, I think this post has a lot to do with what is going on in oral traditions. i would have punched Abraham or Homer in the face if they were trying to teach me the Bible or Iliad (I assume both were orally communicated for a number of years) and frequently used "like". Instead of "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth", it would be "in, like, the beginning, God, like created the heavens and, like, the earth." Terrible. Part of what we are learning seems to be focused on actively participating in noting details within our environments and recognizing them. Like is a perfect example of one of those things.