\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0Several months ago, I wrote a column titled, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When I listen to Rosie O’Donnell, I’m like \u00c5\u2019wow.'” The column explicated the many sins people, especially Rosie, commit in the name of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153like,” the most common sin being its use as a sub for \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I said something like.”<\/p>\n
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 For example, rather than conjuring up the exact words you exchanged with your blind date, you take the shortcut and use \u00e2\u20ac\u0153like” as the attributive, this way: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was like \u00c5\u2019duh’ when he asked me out again.” \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Like” is, like, way overused.
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153like” column drew lots of feedback, and though most people like agreed with the misuse of like, a number of them added their own pet peeves. A woman I know only as Margie said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You know what bugs me the most? It’s hearing people keep saying \u00c5\u2019you know,’ you know.”
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Another person, a West Las Vegas teacher, pointed out that he couldn’t prevent his students from inserting \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I mean” in every locution, this way: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I did my homework. I mean I almost finished it.”
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Andy Rooney of \u00e2\u20ac\u015360 Minutes” lamented his own overuse of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I mean” and even provided a minute’s worth of edited tapes in which he said \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I mean” 45 times during several interviews.
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 So what do \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I mean” and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153you know” have in common? They’re both oral attempts at filling in any nano-second pause in conversation; they’re like aspirated pauses meant to further explain meaning. But the trouble is that some people get so involved in merely counting the instances of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ya know” and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I mean” that they fail to get the import of the statement.
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 It’s perfectly all right to say \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I mean” in the following sentence: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I mean it when I say this is good chile.” But it shouldn’t appear gratuitously. I mean, it needs to be anchored to a salient idea, not merely used as filler.
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You know” has similar traits. It too is intended to clarify things, to assure the listener that the meaning will soon be clear. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You know what I’m talking about” is perfectly acceptable, but \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I’m, you know, searching, you know, for another job, you know” just won’t cut it.
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 When I’ve overdosed on \u00e2\u20ac\u0153you know” I want to holler, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153No, I don’t know,” but that’s only after fantasizing about Velcro-ing that person’s lips shut. Perhaps \u00e2\u20ac\u0153you know” \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and at this point, you know, I’m changing it to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ya know,” because that’s the way most people pronounce it \u00e2\u20ac\u201d began as a way of flattering the listener: I’m telling you things you already know, because you’re intelligent, ya know.
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Maybe it began that way, but today its use is mostly, ya know, as filler.
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 I mean people also use \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ya know” as a way of introducing an extraneous topic. Let’s say one of the conversationalists is discussing string theory and neurons and has lost the other person whose mind is on silly string and croutons. That’s when the other cuts in with \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ya know, I need to go home now. I mean it’s been fun, but good-bye for now, ya know.”
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Two other usages rankle. What convinced me I’d been in the classroom too long was a spate of strange uses of two of the English language’s tiniest, yet mighty, words, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153go” and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153do.”
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Whenever I realize I’ve heard the use of one of these words more than 60 times a day, I wonder, as perhaps you do, whether people just started the unusual usage, or whether it’s been around forever and, ya know, I just noticed it. For example, during a week of judging speakers in classes other than my own, it was common to hear, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The coach goes, \u00c5\u2019You shouldn’t smoke.'” or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Mom went, \u00c5\u2019I have to do some shopping.'”
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Here the students use \u00e2\u20ac\u0153go” and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153went” in place of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153say” and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153said.”
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 That grates on the ears. I mean, people don’t GO, they SAY. Cats go meow-meow, dogs go bow-wow, trains go choo-choo, but people SAY \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You shouldn’t smoke.”
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 And what can we say about \u00e2\u20ac\u0153do”? A point I’ve made in several columns deals with tight-knit communities with few media outlets. In Las Vegas, I mean, if one person on the airwaves employs a certain locution, the rest of us are bound, ya know, to follow.
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 The word \u00e2\u20ac\u0153do,” linked with another verb, generally has an emphatic meaning. If Natasha says to Kevin, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You don’t love me,” he’s bound to answer, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I DO love you.” But is there any use for \u00e2\u20ac\u0153do” other than to counter a negation?
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Only in Vegas do we hear talk show hosts say, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We DO have some guests.” and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I DID go to the bank this morning.” Apparently someone had insisted the host did not have guests and did not do any banking.
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Or we hear, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I WILL be playing some favorites,” as if someone had said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153No you won’t.” And it becomes reminiscent of schoolyard squabbles: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Did too.” \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Did not.”
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Language is what people make it, I need to keep reminding myself. And it appears the peculiar uses of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153go,” \u00e2\u20ac\u0153do,” \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ya know” and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I mean” will be with us always.
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Just as I was getting ready to toss in many more examples, the boss DID beckon me to finish this.
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 I WILL write more about this in later columns, but right now I DO have deadline, ya know. I mean, the column DOES and WILL end here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0Several months ago, I wrote a column titled, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When I listen to Rosie O’Donnell, I’m like \u00c5\u2019wow.’” The column explicated the many sins people, especially Rosie, commit in the name of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153like,” the most common sin being its use as a sub for \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I said something like.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=81"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=81"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=81"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=81"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}