this post was submitted on 09 Jun 2024
60 points (100.0% liked)

chat

8433 readers
65 users here now

Chat is a text only community for casual conversation, please keep shitposting to the absolute minimum. This is intended to be a separate space from c/chapotraphouse or the daily megathread. Chat does this by being a long-form community where topics will remain from day to day unlike the megathread, and it is distinct from c/chapotraphouse in that we ask you to engage in this community in a genuine way. Please keep shitposting, bits, and irony to a minimum.

As with all communities posts need to abide by the code of conduct, additionally moderators will remove any posts or comments deemed to be inappropriate.

Thank you and happy chatting!

founded 4 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I have now become hyper-aware of how often I use that phrase

Are there any phrases that people have told you you overuse or are characteristic of how you talk?

all 48 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] metaltoilet@hexbear.net 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I use “like” and like a lot, almost like a California girl.

[–] InevitableSwing@hexbear.net 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

When I was a teenager our family moved from Northern to Southern California. My mom was a good mom and chill about most things but she really didn't like the change in my speech. We lived in LA and like kids do - I started speaking like the locals. She particularly didn't like my overuse of "like" and how my I turned statements into questions? It seemed I used question marks all time? And I didn't even really realize I - like - used "like" all the time?

At that time she made me kind of mad. But in the end I appreciated it? Oops. Bad habits can come back so quickly.

[–] metaltoilet@hexbear.net 8 points 1 year ago

Language is so interesting. There is no proper way to do it but some people sure do like making it seem that way.

[–] came_apart_at_Kmart@hexbear.net 17 points 1 year ago

i worked a summer gig at an outdoor camp as sort of a small unit supervisor. basically a department of 1 (me) that occasionally college interns would rotate through. to my credit, they told me by the midpoint that my setup was best because i was "chill". anyway, at the end of the summer, a group of the stoner guys started doing impressions of me, to me, and universally they all included me becoming reservedly annoyed/exasperated at something (like a broken piece of equipment, or some high level boss barking pointless orders sharply before 7am) and muttering "blow me" quietly to myself. or when relating a story and characterizing my own lack of enthusiasm about whatever was happening.

"So then they said, 'The job pays $8 an hour.' and I was like, 'Blow me.'"

they also all imitated my style of speech which involves really exaggerating, slowing the word "blow".

that was over a decade ago so i am pretty sure i've shifted off that consciously, but for a while it was kinda wack how often i would say it. even to myself while reading something annoying. they all thought it was hysterical, but i definitely made some changes.

[–] GrouchyGrouse@hexbear.net 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Say "slide note" instead and pull out a slide whistle and oooOOOOOP with it.

I say "I've probably mentioned this before" a lot because I am always forgetting if I have already told you something.

[–] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] GrouchyGrouse@hexbear.net 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Hell yeah, anecdote repeating gang rise up

[–] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Unironically people should repeat their anecdotes often. The same story might grow stale for oneself after hearing it a few times, nevertheless repeating an anecdote builds memory of it and can serve as a bonding activity if done well. I wish more anecdotes from my grandparents were written down.

[–] GrouchyGrouse@hexbear.net 11 points 1 year ago

Awww that makes me feel much better about it, thanks comrade

[–] sevenapples@lemmygrad.ml 14 points 1 year ago

Parenti uses "and the like" a lot in his speech (and texts) and while this could be some kind of recency bias, I believe I see it more often in lemmygrad+hexbear than on the rest of the instances

[–] EcoMaowist@hexbear.net 12 points 1 year ago

I don't know what I have for my vocal speech, but when I type I tend to add extra thoughts in parentheses a lot. I also probably stutter a lot, my thoughts tend to move faster than my mouth can speak.

[–] sappho@hexbear.net 12 points 1 year ago

I'm always like "Does that make sense?" after I go on for more than a couple sentences and need verbal affirmation that I'm not being silly/confusing

[–] InevitableSwing@hexbear.net 12 points 1 year ago (3 children)

My problem is what Wikipedia calls semiarticulate utterances: huh, uh, erm, um, hmm, etc. If I ever wanted to do something like a podcast - I'd first prepare by trying to figure out how I can drastically cut down using them. I have no idea how. But I think I might have no choice but to end up with an unfortunately Obama-like way of speaking. What I mean to say... is that the number of pauses... would be noticeable. Still - all things considered... that's better than saying "um" and similar phrases... all the time.

[–] buckykat@hexbear.net 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I think that's what podcasters have editors for

[–] InevitableSwing@hexbear.net 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Just editing out the hemming-and-hawing might be tricky. Unfortunately I digress too. "I think it's like a scene in Logan's Run where they meet the old man... mmm... That was a real 1970s movie even though it came out in the 198—... Hmm... It *did come out in 70s. Why did I think 80s? What movie was I thinking of?... erm... Logan's Run but not Logan's Run.... But maybe the old man scene was a different movie altogether?"

I prefer the net. When I tell my Logan's Run story - it's concise, smooth, and I've fixed all the details because I googled if needed. If I did a one-man podcast and I was my own editor I would drive myself crazy.

[–] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Talk like an auctioneer lol

[–] InevitableSwing@hexbear.net 10 points 1 year ago

You got me wondering how fast I could speak coherently if I tried as hard as I could. My hunch is... not very fast at all. So much for my future second career as a cattle auctioneer. : (

---

Ninja edit

Maybe I could still be a popular cattle auctioneer by inserting my own random, set phrases into my spiel. It would help me to speak faster and it would be unique to me.

"20,000-ah. Do I hear 20,000-ah? Third Stone From the Sun-ah. Excellent song-ah. Do I— $20,000! Do I hear 30,000-ah?..."

that's a normal feature of everyday language

[–] SpiderFarmer@hexbear.net 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Honestly, when I space out I tend to say stuff like, "I like cats...".

[–] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 9 points 1 year ago

hell yeah brother

[–] Angel@hexbear.net 11 points 1 year ago

I use a ton of analogies, so I probably say "that would be like...", "that would be equivalent to...", or "that is analogous to..." a lot.

[–] Alaskaball@hexbear.net 9 points 1 year ago

I've noticed my verbal tics change every time I notice them and become aware of how prevailing they are in my speaking.

When I was in school it was "um" and "like".

When I was in college it was sometimes "mmm" but mostly silence because I was trained and practiced enough to consciously avoid any verbal tics.

When I left college I was at my peak and could keep my mouth shut.

Now I've gotten way out of practice and usually do shit like "expletives", "folks", some flavor of "mmm" or "hmm", and a few years ago it was also "side-note" but my coworker kept giving me shit about it so I eventually stopped saying side-note.

[–] Abracadaniel@hexbear.net 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

A coworker of mine very frequently will say something indirectly then follow his extremely obvious implication with "you see what I'm getting at?" It's so annoying, bro just say what you mean. They're never clever and don't add anything so he's just making things take longer and demanding a response.

[–] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Why do you think he does it?

[–] PaulSmackage@hexbear.net 11 points 1 year ago

Because they want someone to agree with them about something. My coworker does that same thing, especially when it comes to history or politics. Problem is, he doesn't know what he's talking about, and therefore his metaphors and euphamisms confuse me even more because they're straight up wrong or aren't comparable. That leads me to ask him to actually say what he's trying to say, which results in me usually disagreeing and occasionally starting arguments.

[–] InevitableSwing@hexbear.net 8 points 1 year ago

Why do you think he does it?

This might be a clue...

he's just making things take longer and demanding a response.

Sometimes unhappy, lonely, or insecure people do that.

[–] BobDole@hexbear.net 9 points 1 year ago

Sometimes, Bob Dole likes to refer to himself in the third person. It’s not a big deal.

[–] LeninsBeard@hexbear.net 8 points 1 year ago

When I'm explaining things I always say "what you have to understand is..."

[–] buckykat@hexbear.net 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I often use "fuckin'" in place of "um"

[–] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Be a good Christian and say "flippin'" instead

[–] buckykat@hexbear.net 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

kkkristians aren't nearly oppressed enough

[–] polskilumalo@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 1 year ago

Not only do you use fuckin instead of umm you hate christians just as much as I do?????? Are you my long lost sibling.

[–] Shaleesh@hexbear.net 7 points 1 year ago

I say "so" and "like" and "so, like..." a lot, but my favorite quirk is when I say "comma space" when eplaining something that contains counterintuitive information.

[–] LeopardShepherd@hexbear.net 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Bad vocal fry and just going "uhhhh" a lot seems to be a thing and also "if that makes sense?"

[–] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No such thing as bad vocal fry

[–] CliffordBigRedDog@hexbear.net 3 points 1 year ago

thats crayzee

[–] PaulSmackage@hexbear.net 5 points 1 year ago

I can't think of any verbal tics i have, maybe inserting the word "there" as kind of a thought note of some kind. I'm tend to act out what i'm saying and can get very theatrical when i'm talking, especially doing public speaking.

[–] Xx_Aru_xX@hexbear.net 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I have a very quiet speaking voice so most people don't even hear what I say, so what I end up doing is just saying "ah" then doing an expression or a nod

[–] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 3 points 1 year ago

Carry a megaphone with you

[–] HumanBehaviorByBjork@hexbear.net 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Nyoron

Is "side note" really a phrase associated with podcasts? I don't actually listen to podcasts very frequently, honestly.

that's what i associate it with, but it turns out i'm the insane one