Sometimes it’s hard to tell what people are saying – there’s so much nothing being said.
As parents, we’re all English teachers. Our kids learn the sound and rhythm of language from day one, and we enhance it – mostly unknowingly – every day since. I consider part of my motherly job description to be helping kids clean up their language. I’m not talking about swearing or potty talk, here. I’m talking about Like and the like.
School is a breeding ground for sloppy language and “likes.” Besides learning life skills such as how to perform impressive armpit farts and burp the alphabet backwards, my son came home at first with a deluge of “likes” in his speech. If you’re concerned about how much “like” is creeping into your speech or your family’s, here’s a guide to banishing it.
The main trouble with “like” is that it’s overdone and unspecific. When trying to banish “like” seek out specific words you could use as substitutes. Like is lazy language. What word can you use that will convey a more specific meaning? Make it a game. What word is “like” trying to stand in for? How many times are you saying “like” in a conversation?
Substitute the right word
Like = “thinking” ”I was, like, should I go?”
Like = “about” or “approximately” “The cliff was, like, 20 ft. high.”
Like = “said” (or “answered” “yelled” etc.) ”She was, like, ‘Where did everyone go?’”
Like = “for example” ”He was scared of spiders, like a really tiny one would still scare him.”
Like = “uh – um – er” No need to substitute here. ”Like” is just a common filler. Go ahead and say what you mean. Ex: He was, like, so glad to be, like, home.
Like = “similar” ”This tastes like grape juice.” This is a fine use of “like,” but if you’re trying to kick the “like” habit, try using an alternate word for now.
Like = “like” ”I like you.” Say this as much as possible!
How much does “like” creep into your daily speech? Have you ever tried to banish a speech habit? What worked?
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This is great! My grandmother was an elementary school teacher so I learned proper grammar from an early age. But we’ve been living overseas for the last five years in non-English speaking countries so it’s easy to get lazy when you’re only hearing broken English for so long. Also, our daughter is in an Indian preschool where the language is pretty much 19th-Century British Colonial English. We’re headed to the United States for a year so I’m hoping all our English improves then.
I will have to watch the “likes”. I’m so conscious of it in writing but sloppier when speaking.
I hate “like” only less than “you know” as lazy language. I have no ideas how to get rid of it. I think it’s a function of our fast pace lives. People don’t have time to think before they speak, so they stall for time by saying like and you know as placeholders.
Perhaps the only way to banish lazy language is to encourage respect for words and the unique meaning each word brings to a sentence. But I don’t see that happening with any of the younger generations.
I try not to say like and you know, but accept that I’m as guilty as most in misusing them, but always try to speak with some sort of eloquence.