10 SEPT-OCT 18
Stop constantly saying “LIKE” and you will immediately sound smarter!
With over 1000000 words from which to choose in the English language why does it seem as if the word “like” is used well like so often? Perhaps because it tops many of the lists of most overused words in present-day vernacular. Many of the top entries of words that have lost most of their original meaning include awesome really literally ridiculous whatever seriously and nice. But like takes top honors.
This misuse and overuse of the word dates back to the 1970s when it became popularized in what we came to call California’s “Valley speak.” Many young people use the word as filler in sentences cluttering their speech and making them sound unsure of themselves at best and uneducated at worst.
Unfortunately the word has become more of a nervous linguistic tic or a lazy speech habit.
Common Misuses
- Some of the most common ways the word “like” is misused include making approximations modifying adjectives and adverbs and before a quote.
- “You will need like ten dollars.” Using “roughly” or “about” in this approximation would be more descriptive.
- “It was like the biggest spider I ever saw.” Here the word “like” adds absolutely nothing and should be omitted.
- “Yelled” or “shrieked” could easily be substituted within this quote: “She was like ‘get out of my room.’”
“Like” is one of those words that can be used in several different ways without being misused. It can be a noun a verb an adverb a preposition and a conjunction. However it has become so overused as a placeholder or fallback word – and so misused today by politicians television commentators entertainment figures and the like (used purposely here) – that it has almost become acceptable.
Vocabulary Loss
It is interesting to note that the February 2000 edition of Time magazine reported that in 1950 the aver-
Age and Vocabulary Decline
At age 14 a child had a vocabulary of about 25000 spoken words. By 1999 that number had dropped to 10000. Since a person’s vocabulary reflects their general knowledge this huge drop is unfortunate to say the least. We can all draw our own conclusions as to why people have smaller vocabularies than people did 70 years ago but my list would include texting email Facebook poor education and way less reading and writing.
A Day at the Game
One recent Saturday afternoon a friend and I went to a Kansas City Royals game. Seated directly behind us were two cute young women I am guessing in their mid-twenties. The young ladies more interested in their conversation than the game used the word “like” so many times we were both stunned. The conversation we couldn’t avoid overhearing went from noticeable to amusing to downright annoying all because of their constant overuse of the word “like.”
Consider the Customer’s Reaction
I have often noticed sales associates at retail stores misusing the word. Especially if you are catering to a more educated upscale middle-aged customer your managers and salespeople should be aware of this – but it holds true for every customer who expects to be treated personally and with respect. Few things would turn a customer off faster than to have a salesperson tell them “Like those shoes are like totally you” or “Like that dress comes in like other colors too. Should I like see if we could like order some of them for you?”
You could get the point across without embarrassing anyone by making a simple game out of it. Every time the word “like” is misused the accused puts a quarter in a jar by the register and the money is used to buy the entire staff a pizza or some other perk. This idea creates awareness – and the verbal habit would get broken quickly in a fun non-threatening way.
Common Misuse of Words
Most of us overuse and misuse words.
From time to time in our everyday casual speech.
I’m not suggesting that we all need to join the Linguistic Society of America but can we please try to find alternative words for “like”? Seriously it would be like really awesome if we could literally do that. If not like whatever dude!
- Ritchie Sayner of Advanced Retail Strategies LLC is author of Retail Revelations: Strategies for Improving Sales Margins and Turnover available from Amazon.
- He can be reached at rmsayner@gmail.com or 806-505-7912.
Ritchie Sayner: Like How’s Your Vocabulary?
Ritchie Sayner
Published in the September/October 2018 issue of Shoe Retailing Today Copyright © 2018 National Shoe Retailers Association Tucson AZ www.nsra.org. All rights reserved.
Summary
The article discusses the overuse of the word “like” in modern speech tracing its origins to the 1970s California “Valley speak” and highlighting how it has become a common filler that detracts from clear communication. This habitual misuse reflects a broader decline in vocabulary as evidenced by a significant drop in the average number of spoken words from 1950 to 1999 attributed to factors like texting and less reading.
“Few things would turn a customer off faster than to have a salesperson tell them ‘Like those shoes are like totally you.'”
Real-World Examples of Reducing “Like” Usage
The overuse of the word “like” can impact communication clarity and perception. Here are some real-world examples of how individuals and organizations have addressed this issue.
- A high school speech and debate team implemented a “No Like Challenge” where team members were encouraged to avoid using “like” as a filler during practice sessions. This helped them improve their public speaking skills and sound more confident.
- A tech company introduced a communication workshop for employees that focused on reducing filler words including “like.” The workshop included exercises and feedback sessions leading to more effective meetings and presentations.
- A university professor noticed students frequently using “like” in class discussions. To address this the professor introduced a “filler word jar” where students would contribute a small amount each time they used unnecessary fillers. The collected funds were used for a class social event making the exercise both educational and enjoyable.
