Sunday, December 19, 2010
The "Like" Factor
It has come to my attention that several people in the class of AP English 12 have come to say the word "like" quite frequently in discussion. I now notice it every time someone talks, almost as if I was looking for someone to use the word. A couple days ago I made a tally as to how many times people in the class say like (Even Ms. Serensky), the grand total came out as roughly 56, and that day the discussion only lasted for half a period. Then when I talked I tried to take note of how many times I said "like," and I will admit it proved as a more difficult task than I thought not to use the word. However, I do not necessarily believe that one cannot use the word "like" at all, but it remains the frequency as to which one uses the word which proves as a nuisance. Since some people in the class say it far more than others (This I have noted, one person said like 24 times in the day I tallied which was almost half of what the class as a whole said) I have wondered if the saying of "like" is infectious. If one person, or a couple people, say "like" far more than some of the other people in the class do, then will the other people start to say it more as well? Well, I could not really note this since I would have to have started at the beginning of AP English of junior year in order to produce exact results. However, I believe that correlation can be made. I must say that I am very surprised that so many people in AP English 12 say "like" a multitude of times throughout the discussion. I personally believe that it makes for a weaker argument, speech, or talk in general and I am going to try to stop saying it as much as I have.
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Henry, I have also noticed the frequency with which commas are used in class discussion. I first realized this last year in a graded discussion when I heard myself saying "like" as if it were a comma. Although I agree that the "like" issue is quite prevalent, I think it was even more common last year. I think it may relate to people feeling uncomfortable with public speaking and that the more comfortable one is, the less they say "like." Perhaps, the use of “like” will subside over time.
ReplyDeleteHenry, I completely agree with you that saying the word "like" weakens an argument or a point. When someone says it too much, I have difficulty paying attention to their point and just wait for the word to come up again, just so I can justify my attitude towards their point. I know this is a cynical way of looking at it, but the people who say it the most never prove me wrong. I try to say this forbidden word as little as possible, knowing full well that it is part of our culture and if it slips out every once in a while, it can be forgiven. A pause seems much more effective though.
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