Are teenagers able to speak without using "like" 10 times per sentence!

[musclecar_72]

We like, went to the movies, and its was like, such a like awesome movie!!

Geez it drives me nuts!!

 

[Princess Mindy]

tell me about it.

but as a confession I do find myself using the word like sometimes too. But never as excessively as what I hear from teens around here!

Like he said like I don't know like I was like totally like cute and stuff and like I said like I know like for sure!

 

[pearlieq]

Like, we all did it, or we, like, all had our own silly affected speech when we were like totally teenagers!

It's almost, like, endearing, as long as I don't have to, like, listen to it for very long!

 

[drgnfly30]

Teenagers speak?????

(Mom to DS16)

 

[CarolG]

Neither of my two talk that way. But I have heard several kids that can't seem to put a coherent sentence together.

One of my grad school professors called that "word whiskers" (er, um, you know, like), and she'd interrupt anyone who used them in an oral presentation. One poor man used "you know" almost every third word, and his 5 minute talk lasted between 10 and 15 minutes because she kept saying "Mr. G, please don't say 'you know'."

 

[amy4bruce]

Two things about this.

1-Teenagers, no matter what they tell you, want to conform. They dress alike, they like the same things, and they talk alike.

2-The word is used, unconsciously perhaps, to give the speaker a moment to more clearly define his or her thoughts and put them into speech. If you say "uh" a lot, or clear your throat, it's the same thing. I knew someone who stuttered for this reason. If he was in a play and had his lines memorized, he didn't stutter. If he had to ad lib, he did. (See CarolG's comments above)

So, like, it can get, like, overused, but, hey, we, uh, all do it.

Edited, like, because I wanted to mention the previous poster, who I hadn't seen before, like.

 

[CathrynRose]

Teenagers speak?????

(Mom to DS16)

I am also not aware of this thing you call "teenager speaking".

(Mom to DS15)

 

[L107ANGEL]

Teenagers speak?????

(Mom to DS16)

 

[kimmikayb]

Drives my mom nuts too. I don't let it bother me.

 

[ozarkmom]

I don't hear it used around here very much but my daughter had a friend that moved here from like California and like every other word that like came out of her mouth was like. Our family wanted to strangle this child everytime she like spoke.

 

[Chicago526]

We like, went to the movies, and its was like, such a like awesome movie!!

Geez it drives me nuts!!

Like, no. Fer sure!

Don't worry, they do grow out of it. I did, and I used it all the time (sorry Mom!). It's funny, I'll slip back into using it a bit whenever I get together with my friends from high school!

 

[belle_of_the_ball]

like..i dont like speak like that!

that word drives me insane!!!!!! its up there with "um" "you know" "uh"

and indeed....as the guy at my last mock trial meet kept saying "you tested the the bullets, indeed" "indeed you did testify once already"

now...picture that for the 3 people he examined, each taking 5 mins...not to mention the 70 year long opening statement!!!

needless to say me and my co-lawyer spent the way home going "indeed i did good fellow!"

 

[DznyFan]

Teenagers speak?????

(Mom to DS16)

Mom to DD 16. She speaks. Sometimes can't get her to stop!

It's like when they you know, like speak, they like have to say "like" in their sentences, cuz they'll like spontaneously combust if they like, dont!

(seriously, tho, she's not nearly as bad with that word as she used to be when she was about 13-14.)

 

[golfgal]

Um, like, gag me with a spoon, that is so like the 1980's to use like, like you know, like every other like word you know, like, come on, like grody to the max, like.

It is still better then using adjectives as verbs like (the proper use of this word by the way) when someone is "disrespecting" someone. Disrespecting is NOT a word, you can be disrespectful of someone. Same thing as the poster that was 'crushing' on someone--you have a crush on someone, yes, you can't be 'crushing on them'.

 

[nsyncraider17]

2-The word is used, unconsciously perhaps, to give the speaker a moment to more clearly define his or her thoughts and put them into speech. If you say "uh" a lot, or clear your throat, it's the same thing.

That's it completely. I'm 19 and I don't know when or why I started using "like" in every sentence, but now I honestly can't help it. But I use it most when I'm describing something or telling a story, and it's definitely because in those situations, I'm thinking about what to say while I'm talking. I think I'm a pretty decent writer and public speaker, but in everyday speaking, I can't stop using "like." I don't really like it because I think it makes me seem like a stereotypical immature teenage girl, but I do it without thinking.

 

[Brianne]

Like, I dunno?

I think it is used as a pause. DH's biggest problem is using "you know" a lot, mainly to get a response/reaction when he's talking to someone---not that he's anywhere near the teenage years anymore. Far from it, actually! But the kids are picking up on it so I'm trying to break him of the habit.

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

We actually did a study on this in Lifespan Development Psychology. The word, "like," is actually characteristic of teenagers when they're speaking. It's not really something they can avoid unless you point it out and correct them. My father used to say, "Enough with the like," and that would make me more aware of the fact that I was saying it. The worst is when you have college students doing a presentation or making a speech. I swear it's every other word then! Eventually, you should grow out of it.

 

[liamandcaili]

I spoke like this as a teenager. My biggest phrase was "you know." You can't imagine how difficult it was to break that habit when I went to college and even later when I was working. I had to consciously remind myself not to say "you know" or "like." For those who are teenagers, or who are parents of teenagers, it is a lot easier to prevent the behavior at the outset than to try to break the habit later because believe me, you won't want to be at your first job interview saying, "Like, I think I could do this job, because, you know, I am, like, really great with people, and like, I learn really quickly, you know."

 

[tnkbl]

I am working on my masters degree and one of the ladies (24yo) in my group says "whatever" every other word. It is so anoying. I think I'll count them up and tell her how often she is saying them. That will make her love me that much more!

 

[PaulaSue]

Like thats SO HOT.