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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ม.ค. 2025
- Have you ever, like, wondered why people, like, talk like this? The word "like" and its prevalence in modern American speech have baffled linguists and frustrated listeners worldwide. But what started this annoying trend might have actually been a mistake. All it needed was one song parodying the girls from California's San Fernando Valley in the '70s to make it one of the most widely used words in the English language.
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Why Americans Say "Like" In The Middle Of Sentences
I thought “like” was annoying and ridiculous. Then my wife pointed out the fact that I say “you know” after EVERYTHING I say LOL
Same here, especially "You feel" loll I cant stop saying it
Actually is worse haha
@@DWF33 tf is an ignorant way to speak
DWF33 that makes no sense. at the end of the video they literally talk about how language just develops over time. it is not “ignorant”, but the “like” thing as well as other common filler phrases are just casual speaking.
If you find yourself saying “you know” or “you know what I mean” you need to recognize this, and stop. Think about it from the other side of the conversation, why would you be trying to convince me, or explain to me something you thought I already knew?
Anyone ever noticed a lot of people in the early 1900’s use “why” in just the same way we use “like?”
Why yes I have noticed and it's quite the observation my dear Myles 432, Bully👍🎩
Why i otta!
Y Yes
Yea theres a meme of one older guy saying it
No, I wasn’t born yet
I notice a lot of Northeasterners use “you know” as a filler word instead of “like”
Very, *very* true.
Or both, you know, like those northeastern guys!
It’s just like, how we talk, y’know?
I know a guy from Philly and he says "you know what im sayin" all the damn time
or both in the same sentence because like why not you know what i mean?
“It includes words like ‘tubular, totally, grody, *g a g m e w i t h a s p o o n* “
this should have more likes
oh yes daddy
*kinky*
*UGH, GAG ME!*
Valley girls were wild
i’m not a native english speaker but i ABUSE “like” when speaking english so i just notice how influenced i am by the us hdhfjdjf i thought it was more ww
You are really cute lol
Omg i do that too
lmao same
samee
me too. xD
“Today’s youth are destroying our language” said every older generation in history
I have almost exactly your profile picture as a tattoo on my wrist
@@randomcomment7675 Your tattoo is commenting on youtube!
"Today's youth is destroying culture"
"Today's youth is lost and ignorant"
"Today's youth has lost all morality and values"
And the variations go on and on. I have a feeling older generations might be feeling left out and that they lost contact with the changes the world has gone through, and so they always diminish and reject young people's culture
@@sofiipote7 The day that the young will listen to the old, those with good intentions of course. Is the day people will progress.
@@Osteoja or maybe the other way round, too, you know? Younger generations have a Lot to teach to older generations. But sadly most older people are too proud to continue to listen and learn
It’s not just Americans, I’m Canadian and I say “like” in every second sentence because I’m slow and my last brain cell needs that extra second to register what I’m trying to say.
CrispTomato94 Yeah. Basically most english speakers use “like” haha
i think weve spread, i also noticed spanish people using "like" alot
Even in spanish (I’m Chilean) we say “como” (“like” in spanish) a lot
Yeah I say like more than I say eh. But eh is used more as a comformation rather than filler. Like "the ball is pretty red eh?"
BLUSAUCE Yeah. It’s the equivalent to Americans saying “huh?” at the end of a statement. As in, “Nice weather out today, huh?”.
How we not gonna talk about “gag me with a spoon” wtf
It was a popular saying back in the 80s
“Hey, what do you wanna do?”
“I don’t know, like-“
“Oh, okay!”
“Wait, Brad, what are you doing?”
It’s a reference to vomiting from deliberate purging. People with eating disorders, especially in Middle or High school, would use a spoon to gag themselves and get the vomit up.🤮
It was totally a thing in 1980s California.
You’re clearly very young
I can’t believe I’m *like* really watching this
Omg ikr *like* I didn’t expect to find this video
wow did you like really make this joke like
It’s like crazy right
Most American comment I have read
*like, OMG!*
kill me
It's basically the same thing as "Er" "Uh" "Um" it just gives people more time to think about what they're gonna say
Like, yeah
Exactly.
Triston I say like so much like don’t even sound like a word....
All the more reason for people to sit in silence and ponder their thoughts and response before speaking
Same thing with other cultures...I hear my Brazilian relatives say “tipo” all the time, like you said, it gives people time to think
I just have a faint memory of my little brother saying,
“Like, like, so like, like like, like...yeah”
And my dad slamming his fist down while sayin
“THiS iS NOt HOW wE SPEaK In THIS FAMiLy”
This is the funniest comment here
@@sol8449 emotional abuse is hilarious. 🥴
수프치킨 Jesus Christ that is not emotional abuse in the slightest. If you actually had a grasp of what emotional abuse is like, you wouldn’t be making these dumb sarcastic comments.
수프치킨 you’ve only heard about this conversation between them you have no idea what their household is like don’t try to make this something it’s not
Omg my dad does that too
50 years later: Why do Americans say yeet?
Bruh
The Daily Unicorn
It’s a fun made up action word we like to use sometimes when we are doing something quickly, or it describes something that is fun. The word Yeet actually has a lot of meanings to it.
The Daily Unicorn yeEEET
Why do Americans blink?
@@peppapigthekiller7539 T
H
A
N K
U
when people say like to quote someone, it’s not an exact quote. you’ll notice when we want to be specific about what someone said, you’ll say, “they said” but when you want to paraphrase you’ll say “they were like,”
So true!
I say "they were like" whether it's an exact quote or not. 🤷♀️
That's called hedging or varying modality. It's to indicate you're less certain about representing specifics. You use different forms of it every time you say "nearly..." or "almost..." or "pretty much..."
I agree with what you're saying. Using "like" to quote someone indicates that you're only expressing their general idea or tone, not giving a completely verbatim recollection.
trueee
So, paraphrasing?
Intro:
"So you're like talking to your friends"
*you became what you swore to destroy*
Golden_ Steel oH MY GOD, DUDE, THANK YOU FOR THE PREQUEL MEME
Whoosh?
Whoosh
yea that was on purpose dumbo
Yeezy you made a fool of yourself
Every language, like, has their own "like". It's not just Americans...
karlhschro true.. i’m dutch and i actually use Like when i’m speaking dutch aswell.. now alot of dutch people mix in english with their speech and most of us can understand it fluently.. if you were to speak to any dutch person and start a conversation in english they will switch to english no issue
@@litchtheshinigami8936 Cool! Dutch people definitely have the best English! I'm a speaker of Japanese and Norwegian (weird combo, I know, but it's because I'm half-Japanese and grew up with it, and I used to live in Norway) and both languages have their own "like" as well. And I'm pretty sure every other language has filler words like "like" ;)
In Philippines, we use "kwan" or "yung ano" to direct to something that we forgot how to describe while simultaneously miming shit out.
yes, in argentinian spanish we do the same but saying "onda" or "tipo"
Yes in Arabic "yanni = I mean"is often used
I’m bringing back “gag me with a spoon”
Yes please idky but it’s funny
369 likes lmao
@3CH0 no a knife
Today's attention span doesn't allow for it
That was actually the single least widely used saying IRL though so it’s weird that later gens always seem to give it the most attention.
is ur saying valley girls are the OG VSCO girls
Mark Planos sksksksk
basically. but with more o my god
Yes omg you’re so young
the fact that you have to ask that makes me think that gen-z'ers are really far away from what the millenials and the previous gen. have grown up to... *like* they just completely came from *like* whole nother planet [insert valley girl accent here] lol ✌
JellyInHospital no
Languages don't get destroyed. They evolve into something new, and society dictates it.
@@Nswix bro evolution ALWAYS moves forward, even if you don't like it.
I know you’re an asshole , but evolution absolutely always goes forwards.
@@annabeld7758 Yea, it's impossible to really reverse evolution, you can evolute into something similar to the previous version, but you're not that version. Still brand new.
Thanks, someone not being a pedantic imbecile.
Thats why theres a saying language is al8ve it changes it evolves
“It’s like a beard,” isn’t an example of “like” as a filler word. He didn’t say it like, “It’s, like, a beard,” he said, “It’s like a beard,” as in similar to a beard. Very interesting to find out that the Beatniks were the ones who made the use of “like” as a filler word popular before the Valley Girls did again.
it is similar to a bread...... it just people too lazy to learn different way to talk....
campkira why would you? the word "like" isn't hurting anyone, it's just sometimes annoying to some people
Yeah but he wouldn't be saying "It's similar to a beard" because it _is_ a beard.
~:~
@@harshmnr More like stubble.
@@MRTOWELRACK I guess you could say that.
~:~
As a social experiment, I’m going to start replacing the word “like” with “love” and see how many people freak out.
Won't work. I cant think of a word that will
@@seandafny Say "sort of" or "basically" or "you know"
@@person1420me saying "Sort of like..", "Basically like.." and "Like y'know.."
TH-cam has the like button. Damn.
Rares M really make you think ....
Here you go have my like.
I dont get it .....
Wait oh I do lol so funny
@@archanamande8542 They made a button just for this filler word. Amazing.
Its like wow
Because it’s a filler that gives you enough time to think
that'd explain why some people use "like" as about every second word in a sentence and others barely use it ... thank you, it hadn't occured to me like that yet.
I like your reasoning better than whatever the point of this video just now was, thanks
The video explains that there are four definitions and that's one of them
And your average murican needs like a lot of time to think.
Thats 'like' the most Main reason for using that word
I’m british and I say like all the time thanks America 😂
That's probably because you still speak a form of English.
oh no!
English isn't even my mother language and i say like whenever i use it. It doesn't help that there's a very similar filler word in my local language, so using the word like feels natural to me.
Nabila Putri oh interesting. which language and word?
@@onemorechris it's indonesian. The word is "kayak" or usually shortened into "kek" and it means the same as "like".
Until Corona, I was an Uber driver. On one of my last rides, a passenger kept using "like" at such an astonishing rate in a phone conversation that I began counting. In a 14-minute conversation she said the word 359 times. I wanted to ram my car at 60 mph into the nearest light pole.
Lisa Hinton I am so sorry for u
lol im the same way i can not stand it!
Same here how people speak that way is weird and honestly annoying
It's annoying when people under 20 do it but downright unsettling when those in their 40s or 50s do.
@@hijodelaisla275 I want to smack people in their 40s and up who use like over and over.
I live in Southern California it’s impossible not to use the word “like”
ItzCue I’m from Pennsylvania and we can’t do it either
Makeup Jessabel you don’t even notice how much you say it till you actually pay attention lol
love your pfp
TheMisfit thank you
Omg I moved to Oregon when I was 12 and definitely noticed my "accent"
Nobody talking about “gag me with a spoon?”
..Ok then. Tubular.
yeahhhh I thought it was like like sooo groody
Hahhah grody to the max!
🤣🤣🤣🤣
I say grody all the time
Mike Ruchington lmaooo ikr 💀
This phenomenon did actually transfer itself to other languages. Russian’s the best example I know though (‘cause I’m Russian lol). We have a word «Типа» (pronounced tee-puh) - which is literally used the same way “like” could be. If you translate the 4:55 part to Russian, change every “like” to “Типа” and play the result to a Russian native speaker, they’d never realize it hadn’t been made by a ru-speaker. Btw here we call words like this one the “word-parasites”.
in vietnamese too, we have "kiểu" for like with the same functions
Arabic too! We use "يعني" as a filler and a way to emphasize stuff, almost the same as the word “like” in English except for the part were you can quote someone after saying it.
In some spanis speaking countries "osea" serves that purpose.
In Italy we have "cioè"
ooooo word parasites... i love that
This is like saying why British people say "yea" a lot, or it's like asking why do Jamaicans say "man" a lot, or indonesians say "kan" a lot.
It's a pretty pointless video I think, it's just normal for languages to develop their own filler words, most languages have filler words that can't be translated to another language but have their own expression.
Yeah a watch like a minute of it and amidetly saw how pointless it was, mostly came for the comments though
I don't know if this comment is a joke. If it is you got me good.
This video is not pointless. It just informed us of a origin. You never wonder how something started? It's interesting to know how a commond word became so commond. To a point where people can't stop using it to express themself. If you weren't really curious, then why clicking on it?
Not pointless if it starts a discussion on language, otherwise why are you here? At least in my view this isn't pointless at all.
Betullah ni kan
Like (as a fillerword) exists in finnish, many teenager use it way too much :D
I’m always *like* “Well, *like* , they did this, and they *like* did this,” because i don’t believe what I’m saying so I just put *like* so it seems *like* it would be an example
Same, heh
english isn’t even my native language but i use “like” literally all the time thank u americans
vltrstrs actually all languages have some sort of word that means ‘like’ or ‘um’ and etc. So I wouldn’t blame it on Americans. You should just blame it on yourself for using it. :)
Also "literally"
Same girl
I just say Like, literally and actually without noticing it at this point, tbh it is still more sophisticated than the fillers words that I use at my own native language, I just don’t even bother saying a proper word there lol
ur welcome
you are welcome :)
In spanish we used "como", and has the same functions as like in the speak
Vicente Bravo give me an example with the Spanish sentence.
I only understand Spanish like 50%-60%
Vicente Bravo in Brazilian Portuguese we use “tipo”
I never knew that. I'm trying to learn Spanish, so that's kind of cool.
the "tipo" in portuguese is 100% accurate lol.
in spanish it must change from one place to another. i am peruvian and in that case i think it's usually "como que..." and it could be the equivalent of "like" as it's shown in this video or a way of saying "sort of" or "kinda".
for example, if you want to say: "i was like... no", in spanish it would be "como que... no"
another one: "like... i don't even know you" = "como que... ni siquiera te conozco"
or "that's like the worst song". in spanish it'd be "esa es como que la peor canción", etc.
i'm wondering how different that is in other countries.
In filipino we use "parang"
every english speaking person says “like” not just americans lol
Depends on where you are actually, from where im from we rarely ever heard someone use "like" as fillers.
I'm South African and use the word all the time. I believe its influences from watching American television growing up.
It's influence from California and Hollywood spread throughout the word.
I used to say it because i watched a lot of movies then a lady in my country (american) compared the word with our substitution of "like" and I realized how annoying it was and I stopped saying it after a few conversations.
I'm an Indian and I live in UAE.
My class consists of mostly Indian and some bengali students
We use "like" a lot of times while speaking and we don't even notice it lol😂
(We learn English as our first language)
I'm not American but I do use “like” in the middle of my sentences...
your name is american, you've been brought up american at birth so its not a surprise.
Lechiffresix six ••• Rianne is welsh not american
Actually I'm from the Philippines so...
u want a cookie
@@riannenicolemendoza8724 I think its common for Filipinos to use like in a sentence.
Next is why americans say “literally” for everything
That's actually a much better idea than this video imo
Because they don’t know what it means.
as an american i dont use literally, i dont hear it often, its just from movies were the bratty girl says like and has a valley girl accent
I notice people in London England say literally the most
And that's on lit rally
When people say something is a ruining a language I always think it’s stupid, language always evolves and changes, no matter how annoying you think the new trends are, it’s not as if we speak how the did in the 1800’s is it? And of course we don’t use “like” or other slang in formal settings, no one is encouraging that, you’re supposed to know when you can be relaxed and use informal language and when to use formal language.
It's true though. The amount of words is the same, but there's much less information. The dumber the people, the dumber the language.
@@TeodorKubena Imagine being this dense
@@IvVicious Imagine being so pathetic that you like your own comment.
@@TeodorKubenaBut.. I like, liked his comment..
@@credinzel6996 Are you trying to be funny or are you trying to make me mad? Either way, it ain't working...
I walk away when an individual uses too many like.
Hold tf up “Gag me with a spoon”??!!
It's from the bulimia culture. Well that's what I was told.
Yep. It’s a thing.
You can find it in one of those gore p0rn websites
Yes with ,like, a totally tubular spoon
Yeah, suburban speak. No porn origins.
Literally EEVEERY country has their own word for “like”.
"erm" for the Brit's?
Bdogbooze or literally
In france we have "genre"
"Uhh" for the netherlands
" cioè " for italy
Everyone has fillers, I've heard "Ya know what I'm sayin" "Alright" "M'kay" "kinda" and all kinds of others. It's not just like, it's anything that people use aside from ums or uhs.
Drugs are Bad, Mmkay!
We like people to express themselves, Mmkay? We encourage you to wear more Flare, Mmkay?
I'm gonna need you to go ahead and come in tomorrow- Mmkay?
why not use different ones?...why use like every time?..thats annoying...same for using um or uh every time..
@@razkable that’s how the brain works...its much easier to fill gaps with a short, repeating phrase rather than “lizard,” “banana,” “jackalope,” And other varying words. When someone speaks, they’re focusing more on the words they say than the filler words such as “um” or “like.”
You forget "welp"
True but what's like super annoying, is like, lots of people are like, using it 10 times to like, make one small point. It's like, shut the f_ck up....
A few years ago I was sitting with my family in a San Fernando valley deli and the two girls in the both next to us were interjecting "like" multiple times in every sentence. It put me off my meal, it was so irritating. It was like literally painful, they were like using it like literally a million times like every 30 seconds.
I would have told them to stfu
If you keep saying “like” it starts to sound weird
semantic satiation lmaoo
ilanaa bee :3 that’s with any word though.
Cl *IKE*
That’s a phenomenon called Jamais Vu :)
Maria Clara Bessa that reminds me of one of the BTS’s song, you should listen to it it actually sounds so good.
Title: Why Americans Say "Like" In The Middle Of Sentences
Other English speaking countries: Am I like, a joke to you?
Lmaooo
@@via1096 The majority of Australians use like too. I guess the point was that the title should have been more general, as it's not really associated with being a strictly American thing.
@@xoliag8524 its an American thing which the rest of the world copied as usual
@@ladhkay bruh you cant make saying the word "like" in the middle of a sentence like as it was a creation someone copied i am an egyptian and we never learned that we can use like the in the middle of sentence and here i am using it too much without even noticing i did... lowkey stop saying bullshit bro
@@kinga4438 nobody's saying anyone stole the way of speaking, but I think we're talking about origins here, which I believe are from the US
The academic version is “sort of.”
Listen to a professor or a journalist talk and you’ll soon pick up on it peppered into the pauses. It’s mechanically almost identical but it’s much more approved of by the stuffy pedants who insist that “like” is unacceptable.
“He’s a... *sort of* enigmatic figure”
“I wonder if we could *sort of* reverse the idea”
“There’s a *sort of* blue here that’s very interesting.”
No. "Sort of" means, yeah, close, but not exactly what I'm trying to say.
Person 1: So the Mitochondria is the powercell of the house?
Person 2: Sort of. It's the powerhouse of the cell.
@@manictiger words have multiple uses, all you're doing with your example is using "sort of" in a different way, just like you can use "like" in different ways. The original comment is still correct.
why choose? Use both at the same time!
Yeah, it's like "like" and "sort of" are like, sort of the same thing... I mean like, sort of.
Death Personified lol
So grateful for this. As a non-English speaker, this is by far the biggest annoyance within this beautiful language besides voice fry and exaggeratingly rising one's voice at the end of the sentence even if it's not a question. I'm glad this "like-business" is finally treated in a scientific way ;-)
Thank you for the comment on vocal fry and uptalk. They're hideous fads.
not just Americans, i’m danish, and when i speak english i say “like” all the time too
I like that.
Mexican here, same happens to me
My native language even adopted the word like in a upper class speak. We can use "like" or "parang" which is filipino for like. And if you are really posh you mix both languages and use like-parang.
Ex. " I would not like want to go there kasi parang its too mainit right now and parang like mas maganda if nag mall nalang tayo. (I would not like to go there because it is too hot right now, it would be better if we just went to the mall).
Like, yeah, it's almost like American culture has influence, like, around the world
because you got it from seeing/hearing how americans talk
I was saying “like” so often that my dad would count the number of times I said it in a sentence, then make me say the sentence again without the “likes” the amount of times I had said “like” the first time I spoke the sentence.
I cut that shit out real quick 😂
But why?
@Cass M i mean it's not really broadening vocabulary bc it has multiple uses as mentioned in the video. I'd say it's a bad thing to have filler regardless of the word (umm, uhh, errr) but when its used in other ways, it can be clarifying if youre speaking to another american
@Cass M I really can't stand ppl who try to get on others just bc of the way they talk. I say like alot bc I feel like it, or it's just become a habit. And? Actually, I did have to take some vocab course, after highschool. I went into early childhood. I didn't study for sh. Got good grades on all my pop quizzes & he did enjoy giving those. Skipped the first day. Showed up late my second day. I absolutely never studied. Still got grades. He once called me into his office & I thought I was in trouble. For maybe being a slacker or something. Bc I absolutely did not know why he called me in for. He was just congratulating me in my top ranking. I said something like "yeah. Idk why I had to take this course. I don't even study :/." I think he just never really liked me bc he said something like ,"well 😑, it's not like your over all grade was an A+ " dude? Alright, tiger mom. That did humble me a bit. But anyways, yeah, stop trying so hard. The try too harders are always the worse.
Yt be like
Sappy song or wever: exists
Listener: 😭 pours heart out
Whack sh: you forgot to put the apostrophe before the s. I'll pat myself on the back for that
Sappy song or wever: I had a topic you know? It's called sappy song.
Don't think I was trying for you tho. Bc I wasn't. And I still make up my own words, talk however I want, do annoying things just to annoy you more, & will still start my sentences with and. And?
@Cass M no, it has *three other* definitions for *slang*. None of the other definitions mentioned in the video are textbook definitions. They are different uses of the word in slang. Using it in slang isnt bad; its just what the older generation wants us to think. Using it as filler is a no-no though because filler is always a bad thing for communication
@Cass M ok
This is, like, so weird, like, I didn’t even realize how much I say like
Yis I feel like you kinda like it!
like omg!
I’m an American and it always irritates me when people say “like” every 2 seconds. At that point I can’t focus on anything else they’re saying
Germans do something similar. They like to throw “dass” in randomly in their sentences
Same thing with "halt" or "eben"
Wann? Ist mir mir aufgefallen...
oder “so”. er war so und dann war ich so
Dass like funny.
Black Water ich trinke dass hennessey
Does anyone notice that the voiceover also use “like” several times?
Example: very first sentence 😅 I noticed too
No way Sherlock!!
Disney em pt-pt Ooh. Does that make you Watson 😕?
i don’t think that accidental 😅
*it was a joke.*
It’s so dramatic to say that the word is “ruining the English language”. The English language evolves based on how different cultures define it. Colloquialisms are a reflection of a zeitgeist and should be studied with interest and not disdain. Or like, whatever.
Like, there are many versions of the English language.
Australian English
American English
Canadan English
Or you know, like something like it.
Finally someone said it
The entire point of an existing language is that it does change. A large part of latins failure is the fact it didn’t change
*sorry for the typo I had beforehand
@@blod9862 what are you talking about? Languages ALWAYS change. Thats the nature of language! English is compounded of multiple languages. The fact you're speaking in English right now proves your point wrong. English is made of many different languages, and has morphed and adapted through the years *just like any other language*.
I'd implore you to learn more about language before making a comment because clearly you are uneducated and ignorant.
Autumn Montecino Considering the second half of their comment, I bet they meant to say that “The entire point of an existing language is that it does change”. Otherwise, the second half of their comment doesn’t make any sense
I speak french and arabic and both languages have their own ''like'' word. So yeah.
What's the Arabic one?
Praise Allah
Same in Spanish, but they say (in some states in Northern Mexico) "de hecho" which would translate to "in fact, " but means being in agreement more like "In deed"
Spanish is weird
Supleme Readah no
what's the Arabic filler?
Next on Insider: Why do Americans say "uh" when completing a sentence.
Pretty much every language uses uh, it’s not even part of a language it’s just a sound humans can make
never heard anyone do that lol
@Woochinatchika Kokillibolinov
I'd argue the word "like" is pretty much the same thing.
Woochinatchika Kokillibolinov like is used as a filler word as well as a word that’s equivalent words for indicating something you might put in quotes (i was like = i thought or said) its also used for paraphrasing, your linguistics are prescriptive, people very obviously dont use it to categorize themselves socially its just a way people speak
@Woochinatchika Kokillibolinov "ok" used to be trendy. Its just either that you associate "like" with the valley girls or are of the older generations (who like the ways things are). Languages evolve, and the older generation would always think of the new words as ignorant or stupid. Bring something new to the table, its the same old boring "I LIKE THE WAY IT USED TO BE" argument.
It's *like* french people when they say "genre..."
Yes, my much older borther said "style" tho, funny how that one changed
Back then France : C'est clair
5 years ago: Genre
Now: Grave/grv
Gia Ford nah Nn cap pas la meme chose
@@emmaadelaidetuzlic1765 SHUT UR FRENCH VA-GI-NA !!
@@monik7867 mdr, meuf je sais. Grave et genre c pas la même chose
literally every language has a word like this. it’s a completely normal thing and i think it’s stupid that people (mainly adults) act as thought it makes someone less intelligent or whatever
sapphic-julia Sure, and most people use it almost unnoticeably. I don't think anyone or this video is saying it makes you stupid. But some people use it over-the-top; you notice very quickly when it dominates someone's speech... And it is quite annoying, even making you seem less educated.
In Spanish we have "tipo" which is also used by younger people mainly. It serves the exact same proposes as the ones mentioned for like.
sapphic-julia it sounds dumb lol there is no avoiding that
The thing is most intelligent and well spoken people don't use a lot of filler words, regardless of what language, that's why it has a bad connotation. If you're in your 20s and still saying like all the time, it makes you sound stupid or obnoxious. There's nothing more annoying than listening to someone who says like every few words.
In Spanish they use “Como”
Rather say “like” than “ehhhhh” like every other damn language 🙄🤣
Lol
in romanian we also have a word with a similar purpose idk about other languages
Same here
Ehhh and like aren’t the same thing. Ehhh is equal to ummm in English, other places have their own like but it’s not that
@@mychannel-rt2gn "uuum" and "eeeh" are both filler words. And so it "like"
And the monumental misuse of the word.."literally"
Balance restored?
I'm literally dying
No one:
Apehdifbrkfuwnf: LiTeRaLlY
in a lot of idioms you know
@@cavemann_ the balance will forever be broken since captain literally is no longer with us
I think saying 'like' all the time is a polite/passive aggressive way of speaking. You don't say that something 'IS.' You say something is 'similar to' while meaning that something 'is'
It's probably more insecure than passive aggressive. People using it are unwilling to say anything definitively because it means taking an unapologetic stance. Consistently hedging with modality is living in a constant state of relativistic "maybe" to avoid confrontation.
i definitely think you meant “passive” rather than “passive aggressive”, as in using a passive voice when writing, sort of being unsure about your words. passive aggressive has very different connotations.
You're not wrong, but that's not the form of "like" that this video is talking about.
Yeah, there's some truth to that but have to agree it's likely to be from insecurity, not wanting to commit strongly to an idea. A bit like saying "sorry" and "just" before saying something. It's quite a difficult thing to stop doing and become more assertive.
Not in this sense, "like" in the situation of the video and how people use it currently, is just as a filler word. A little bit of time to buffer and load what they're gonna say, comparable to; um, er, uh.
Didnt know this isnt a universal english speaking thing, since the internet and stuff ya know
I’m romanian, and the word ‘like’ has been heard so many times in american media that we have now started using a romanian word as a replacement for ‘like’ when talking....it’s so annoying
I read it as ‘its like so annoying’.
How annoying is that?
In Spanish we have “o sea” which is hilarious to me because even tho it gives off and informal vibe just like like, it’s actually really formal if you think about it. The literal translation would be “or may it be”. Here’s an example:
Spanish:Era un poco feo, o sea, feísimo.
English:He was a bit ugly, like, really ugly
Actually in English:He was a bit ugly, or may it be, really ugly.
Are you from Spain?
Carla C yes, why do you ask?
I'd add, in Chile, there's a word with almost the same meaning, and it is also associated with the way upper class girls tend to speak: "onda"
But throughout the years it has become more prevalent, and thus, more used by all the youth.
e.g.: "Era un poco feo, onda, feísimo"
Spanish speakers are funny. Idk if it's just the south Americans or if it's also the Europeans, but they call each other weird names. They'll call each other "teacher" or "father", despite their age age or status
Does anyone use "pues" anymore?
8 years later:
Why do Americans say, “ok boomer”?
Hanako The GachaTuber 😹😹😹
😂😂😂
why are we discussing dead memes
Ain’t no one gonna be saying Ok Boomer in 8 years
april and if they are, their parents failed them
The word "like" is not destroying the English language, people are just snobs. English has changed many many times in a variety of different ways. All languages change, this is natural, and many of them have filler words as well. It is not a sign of being uneducated. It is not a sign of having a small vocabulary. If you want to speak what you believe is pure English as it should have been before the uneducated masses ruined it, then go learn Old English. Or even better, go back to the very first words and language spoken by human beings ever. There'd really be no changes and no pesky "like" then! Good luck with that though. Be the pompous you that you want to be!
Brippaded P it’s like, the way we speak. Like, what’s the big deal
This particular use of like is beyond idiotic. So yes, it’s certainly not a Shakespearean development for the English language. And it’s not about being a snob, it’s about having a modicum of intelligence.
But, like, whatever.
@@kencur9690 wow... You are so cool.... So smart.... We should all bow down to your incredible intelligence.... For you do not use the word like.... Wow.... That's like.... So cool... I'm so glad we have someone like you to tell us idiotic masses how the language should develop. You are truly a god, who should not be wasting precious time among us mere mortals.
clearest blue language changes bro its not about intelligence, also implying that certain ways of speaking are indicative of people’s « intelligence » (ie education) is very classist of you :)
I am now so overwhelmed by the word "like" that I don't even know what it means.
LIKE wtf
In Portuguese we use “tipo” that has almost the same meanings as “like” without the verb part :)
Maria Clara Bessa I thought “tipo” meant kind. Por ejemplo “¿Que tipo de Música te gusta?”
Pero mi Español no es bueno
@@ramengurung9913 that's right, but like in english, a word can be used in many ways depending on the context.
@@ramengurung9913 portuguese and spanish isn't the same lol
That's so odd. Russian uses pretty much the exact same word, “типа", pronounced something like "teepa" in English. Why? Any relation?
Sampada Gurung That’s also right :) it depends of the context that’s used. But just so you know it is in portuguese not spanish despite of the similarities between them.
"'Slang such as "like" is destroying the english language" like, get over yourself. English isn't a dead language, and changes to suit the needs of the users. Stop glorifying English as if it's a dead loved one and celebrate it for being able to evolve and change and grow. I'm able to express myself better, and be understood more concisely by saying "mood" than if I tried to explain how I relate to an abstract concept on a profound yet comedic level. And remember: EVERY word is a made-up word!
You’re annoying
@@thatguy4087 your face is annoying! >8D
I think the narrator in the video was being facetious by saying that, in reference to the hundreds of op-eds elitists like to write that say that. So I don't think there's reason to be defensive on this particular video. On another note I was trying to explain to my husband what "same" and "mood" mean and it was actually a little difficult so I feel you there.
Don’t think that’s what the narrator was trying to imply but you do you bro
@@aaliyah6786 To be clear, the thing in quotations was one of the headlines quoted in the video, I'm not actually trashing on the narrator.
I’m Spanish and we also have a word like this! Not sure about Latin America, but in Spain we say “en plan” which is like saying “in plain” or something like that. Pretty cool.
In Mexico we say "osea" Osea no!
You might also use "Como" to say all the tipes of likes, "Como que ando muy wey" "la cosa es como esto" and so on, and bc we use those word that much in Spanish I've seen that people who learn to speak English also tend to use the like a lot
Marcos Manuel Villarreal i think my family says pues
Sometimes when I’m speaking Spanish and English at the same time I use “like” a lot. “Pero like porque ?”
In northeastern Mexico people say “tipo”
A lot of people in CA still have that "Valley Girl" accent 😂
I'm so glad I've never heard the valley girl irl.
WTF! Filipino uses tagalog word “parang” its a translated version of like. Like parang.... yeah
And malays use macam
Parang like,
@@TheDanielCal i have heard people use both ha ha ha
"Parang, like, puhrahng..."
Kung pwede lang sapatusin ang mga gumagamit ng mga 'yan sa panalalita.
we bisayas use “kuan”
I’m bilingual and people constantly tell me I use “like” while I’m speaking in my second language and I don’t even realize when I do it.
My family does the same, when we're not speaking english the word "like" still makes it's way in our phrases
Bilingual Spanish speakers in the US be like "pero like..."
Same I just came back to Germany (ik, lockdown) from the US and I use “like” in German
I’m bilingual too (spanish and English) and us bilingual hispanics will use “pero like” (but like) ALL. THE. TIME.
Stop saying LIKE is the equivalent way for not touching your face from the Coronavirus
Lol
Lying Dog Faced Pony Soldier hahahahahahahaha
@@Emanuel-bq9gn forget to switch accounts?
@@potatoking2217 Sad 😂😂
@@jennaaaaaaxx burn 😂😂
why is it annoying? its literally just a word
Any word can be annoying if its used repetitively, out of context, or for no purpose other than being fillers. Just like how "like" is used like 5 times in a single sentence, or like how people like literally used "literally" on a sentence that literally has nothing to do with what it literally means.
Repeitition, not understanding it, and/or it not being familiar. Or tone that the person always hears that word in.
because LIKE people use it LIKE to much
In every language there’s a word that’s reported a lot it’s in EVERY language
@@Haz1Art I feel attacked lol I say "literally" pretty often I noticed.
Like, this whole video gives me like the “young people bad” vibe. Like, do you know what I mean?
ikr like who made these? Boomers? or like, people with bland personas or smthn like that
Nick Medina ikrrrr like if you’re not on purpose tryna look for the word and unless it’s after every other word, it’s literally not noticeable, they just wanna complain 😂
FixSomeSoaps like they can like die mad about it like 😌
Bruh, LIKE ikr? wtf would someone be so bothered by this. i actually LIKE really like the valley girl dialect. I also say like a lot too! lol its no one's fault. it just LIKE, shows how language evolves n shit.
ikr this is video is like, the
most offensive video, like ever!!!!!
I don’t use like at all really, like only sometimes.
Good sense of humour
damodaram Yadav
Much appreciated. Thank you, means a lot. I try.
I think there’s a part of it in where we use the word “like”, where it isn’t supposed to be, due to our discomfort of silence. Instead of just waiting for a couple of seconds to think of the word, we use the word “like” to fill that empty void. In a way, a verbal block, because we talked ourselves into a corner. We use “like” to get us out of that verbal corner, and make it a transition word, even though it’s not necessary. Just a thought.
I also think that some people tend to say 'like' more in their conversations because others tend to be discomforted by too much prolonged silence interrupting the audible flow of a conversation.
If a silent break goes on too long, it feels awkward, so they may be slightly more desperate to interject and say something they wanted to say, while also experiencing the relief of breaking the awkward silence.
Thus, the person who currently is holding the floor in a conversation, in order to minimize their risk of being interrupted and having their train of thought broken or even lost, will in turn be more desperate to keep the audible flow of their conversation going continually, even if they have to resort to the use of filler words like 'like,' in order to do so. This seems to especially become a likely event in group conversations where more people are vying to get their own thoughts and ideas across, and there is more competition to be heard and acknowledged.
It could also be that decreasing attention spans, from advances in communication where messages can be transmitted and received more easily, or societal factors from people in busy, bustling environments with more task-oriented cultures, can have an impact on how likely people are to interrupt each other in conversation, thus resulting in an increased likelihood of using filler words, phrases, or sounds.
I'm a believer in the idea that if people in general knew how to be better listeners and were more patient with others trying to get their thoughts out, this phenomenon of using filler words like 'like,' or even filler sounds like 'uuuhhmm,' or phrases like '...and so...,' would diminish. A sad irony of people using filler words, phrases, and noises is that in an effort to be listened to more, they may make themselves come across as someone without a lot of substance in their conversational input, resulting in a loss of their own ethos from whom they want to be listened to, and then having to go even farther to ensure that they do not get cut off, interrupted, or ignored in future conversations.
People say “like” probably because they’re , like, (no pun intended) trying to figure out the words to say. You use “like” when you’re trying to find the right words to say. The girl at the beginning who said “we were friend for, like, 11 years.” She was trying to remember how long they’ve been friends!
It’s like “um” or “you know” and stuff like that. Gives people time to think. That’s why we use it a lot less often in written language than spoken
There’s a girl in my high school class who uses the word “like” all the time. She’s notorious for using it in incessantly. One time she said it 34+ times in one sentence... my friends and I laughed our asses off
Uglygodbitxh in one sentence? What was the sentence?
Uglygodbitxh in one sentence? What was the sentence?
Omg thats crazy lmaooo
How do u know it was 34+
Master Chief i counter the words using my fingers
What do you prefer? "Like", "Um", or "Uh"
What I can't stand is people who overuse the word "Right". Especially, when you're trying to have an intelligent conversation. And, they just keep replying, "Riiiiigghht". It's obvious that they aren't listening. And, their brain is in Sleep Mode.
Unknow Everything maybe what your saying is long winded and boring 🤷🏼♂️
@@CT-vm4gf maybe it's not.
@@UnknowEverything Y'know when people give one word answers, it usually means they're not interested in whatever you're saying. Intelligent conversations are cool and all but make it interesting or talk about something else that might interest them.
@@nayussysuccer Or, maybe they are just drama queens. And, only like dram. And, can't handle intelligent conversations.
It's amazing how minute people really are. No common sense left in this world.
@@UnknowEverything Mate, as much as I love learning about philosophy and talking about it, I'd hate for that to be the only thing people talk about with me. You can find people on the internet who would love to converse with you on subjects you like but just because others don't have the same interests as you doesn't mean they're drama loving dumbasses. I have a friend from the top class who loves journalism and chemistry yet she also talks about dumb shit like kpop and weeb stuff. You're gonna start reeking of iamverysmart.
When you realize that valley girls were the VSCO girls of the past
I’m from California, and growing up EVERYONE abuses like.
Yeah we do love saying like
its like, not on purpose...
Me too.
Edit: I am changing the comment so the people dont know why i got this many likes
Obviously, it’s an interjection when we’re throwing something. Just like saying “ouch” when we fell pain. Now do you get it, boomer?
@@thatlemonmelon2714 i am 17 😑😑
Yeet
amanuiel grmay "yeet" died in 2016
@@-_--_--- yeet
I wrote a paper about the word "like" for my linguistics class at NYU, it's called a hedging behavior - designed to protect the speaker from criticism by conveying the idea that "I don't take myself that seriously and neither should you."
That's pretty interesting. I see it in a similar passive way of speaking, much like saying "sorry" or "just" when asking a question. I have had to really fight the urge to speak that way as a woman, and be more sure and assertive in the way I conduct myself in a professional environment. With my friends I'm more passive with speech I think, but still try to avoid "like" as a pattern.
Hmmmmmm...
They're basically asking for us to *like,* like the video.
Meanwhile in Malaysia: -lah... Seriouslah... Okaylah...
I can confirm this is true
Carbimazole San's you mean, I can confirm lah this is true
Singaporeans too
This is malaysians on a daily basis
Shiranai LS01 betul tu lahh
“Destroying the English language” sure like the way we talk destroys something as arbitrary as that.
I don’t find it annoying at all lmao would you rather I say “um” “uh” *awkward silence*, at least “like” sounds more natural
It's an irritating verbal tick that needs to be fixed
The Japanese version of this would be 「なんか、」(nanka). I use this all the time without even realizing XD
Ha, I use “eto...” way too much.
In Indonesian: "kayak"
I hear えと often. Lol
@@seltinusjulio same
They start sentences with えと , just as English speakers start 'em with "like."
This is so accurate and I’ve always questioned this to myself. This girl says “like” in my class all the time. Finally
its even funnier when you hear it being used in India . they say "like" then wobble that head for a split second. Oh lawd , india is lit.
in Portugal, the word “tipo” is our equivalent to “like”
In Russian there is word "типа (tipa)"- our equivalent to "like"
In Italy too!
Thank you for this video. As a non-native speaker of English I have been wondering about this, and even been worrying the habit might rub off on me.
I honestly don’t see what the problem is with saying like.
Elemental Creep its not necessarily a problem. It just sounds unintellectual because you use “like” to describe everything instead of being more articulate. It’s lazy as well as trying too hard to sound hip to try and fit in with the youth in some situations. Why not just speak fluently without like you know saying like every other word for like gods sake.
Danny Oceans
I find you to be kind of rude to our culture, saying the way we speak is lazy. It’s not that we are trying to be “hip”, we say it without knowing we are saying it, and it does help a lot when trying to describe something.
@@dannyoceanss I guess this would apply back then to "try to be hip" but now days even people who say like, notice it in other people & get annoyed at this point it's subconsciously in our minds,I don't even notice it, it's like saying "uhh.." for every sentence.
@@dannyoceanss & just because someone sounds dumb doesn't mean that's the case. You're very ignorant
Because it's annoying AF
Wait. So you're saying one of the main reasons I said "Like", is because of a random record made in the 80's i've never heard of? If you said because you watched a lot of Scooby-do as a kid, I would have agreed instantly
People that aren’t native speakers say “like” because is a filler to think for the right word they’re like trying to say
its also a good word for paraphrasing or indicating what ur saying is not identical to what actually happened (and to replace more specific words like thought or says for instance « he was like « oh my god im dying » and on the inside i was like « no ur not » )
That's literally not true.
What do you mean native?
Wyatt Singer native speaker as in it their first language
ok
It's not just Americans, Canadians and even younger British people say it. Once you start to hear like, it becomes very annoying.
I have a friend who starts any sentence with "its like" even when just reading out a simple answer to the teacher. And it is unnecessary
Once you've grown accustomed to saying 'like' it's really hard not to say it. I was an exchange student in Los Angeles for 1 year and when I came back to Germany, it was really hard for me to stop saying like in german(!) sentences. I thought i was crazy because I would speak german, but still use the english word 'like' in the middle of my sentences as a filler.
Like, I can't stand that crap tbh.
Its like, is it though?
thats honestly hilarious
Well I mean, if you’re trying to explain what you think or when you’re not sure, I’d say (for example) “It’s like when you kill someone and run away”
i started using “like” after listening to Shaggy say it in Scooby doo when I was a little kid (2009ish) it seemed to catch on for everybody else after that for some reason
Teenagers were saying it before then lol
yesss i think that's how the word 'like', got to other english-speaking countries around the world - a non american who didn't realise how much i said 'like' until this video.
Henry Westphal you’re too young💀😂
I used to copy shaggy as a joke when I was little because I liked him and always pretended to be him when we played. After that period of time in my life I started saying like alot more. 😖😑
Let’s be real the snobs who complain about people using “like” have the most bland personalities lmao
like why do they care about what i say lol
i just said "like"
Right? I’m more interested in the content of what a person is saying rather than how they’re saying it.
I find people with larger vocabularies not so bland. IJS
i get why it’s annoying but some people use it to make them feel better about themselves. i’ve seen students give presentations and their peers will just count on their fingers how many times they say “like” instead of listening. so rude..
I haven't said like in that way, usually I overuse the word "I see".
Usually its "ok" with other people in the term for acknowledging something replaced with usually an examplar of "I see, and how will that make you feel"