Getting rid of the "like"

[barbk]

D's off in college, and I've noticed when we talk on the phone (or during spring break) that she's upped her use of "like" about 200%. It makes me a little crazy, and I'm worried that it is going to make it difficult for her to get professional jobs because it sounds so bad.

Any suggestions? Anyone who has managed to get rid of the likes or you-knows?

I can cope with all the weird abbreviations and slang in text messaging, but the rapid-fire likes drive me nuts.

[PrincessLeppard]

You have to make her aware of it. My dad did this with me when I went through my "like" phase, and while it still appears every now and then, I also catch myself doing it and cut it out.

Good luck!

[Southpaw]

When I was 12 I cured myself of the "ummm"s by simply pausing when I felt the ummm urge coming. As soon as the urge passed I continued in my speaking.

[Spareoom]

This is sort of the same, but different, but a few years ago I realized that my constant "lol"ing during posts was getting out of hand. I was on a forum that automatically converted "lol" into a laughing smiley face, and one day I realized that I was perhaps veering into the chatspeak too much when I made a post and it was dotted with a dozen little laughing faces.

I agree that you can't cure someone of anything unless they're even aware they have a problem. Maybe tape one of her conversations that's peppered with "likes", and play it back to her and count how many times she says it.

[orbitz]

Try speaking to her in the same way and see if she'll be annoyed by it.

"Like.. how are you doing? Like... what are you doing now? Like... do you need me to pick you up? Like... when will you be home? Like ..that's nice. Like see you later. Like... I love you to. Like ...ok"

[PrincessLeppard]

What I like (it's proper there!) to do with my students is stuff such as this:

"Ms PL, I have, like, a headache."

"Oh, it's not really a headache, then?"

"What?"

"You said you have like a headache, so not an actual headache then?"

Usually, they still don't get it and I have to explain it to them, but they seem to be more careful after that.

[BigB08822]

I have been trying to get my bf to stop using "you know" after the end of every sentence.

It is one of my biggest pet peeves and it drives me insane. I feel like it is a personal attack on me. So every time he does it I get really defensive and ask if he thinks I'm stupid and feels the need to constantly make sure I am following him. That usually stops him for a little while.

[Nan]

Mine is, "Really?" (the word, not the poster here)

Someone asks me a question and after I answer it, they say, "Really?" I've started answering back, "No, I lied."

[grimey]

The "like" phrase is most annoying when used in this fashion:

"Then he was like 'lets go to the mall!' and I was like 'Sure!' and he was like 'O.K'"

Also when the kids talk in questions when the statement is NOT a question is very annoying.

[Autumm_wind]

Mine is, "Really?" (the word, not the poster here)

Someone asks me a question and after I answer it, they say, "Really?" I've started answering back, "No, I lied."

I do this.
Even I am bothered by it.

[Rob]

My mother was all over me the minute "like" or "you know" came out of my mouth so I never really got started down that path.

The typical teenage sass word I really hate is "whatever...." - my husband says it sometimes and I go through the roof.

In law school, they drummed "um" out of us - just pause and think, don't make noise.

On my own, I worked on eliminating "stuff" and "stuff like that" from my business meeting vocabulary. It just isn't a precise or sophisticated term.

[Rob]

Mine is, "Really?" (the word, not the poster here)

Someone asks me a question and after I answer it, they say, "Really?" I've started answering back, "No, I lied."

Another thing I am not fond of is using "shut-up!" instead of "no way!" or "really?" The first time I heard that, I thought the person was really telling me to shut up.

[Veronika]

I used to say "whatever" to my dad a lot when I was a teen. Most of the time, it was code for "Feck off."

[Rob]

I used to say "whatever" to my dad a lot when I was a teen. Most of the time, it was code for "Feck off."

That is how I interpret it too.

[GarrAarghHrumph]

Try speaking to her in the same way and see if she'll be annoyed by it.

"Like.. how are you doing? Like... what are you doing now? Like... do you need me to pick you up? Like... when will you be home? Like ..that's nice. Like see you later. Like... I love you to. Like ...ok"

To do that, you have to use "like" appropriately, re: grammar. "Like" has a meaning that's sort of like "um" and "approximately", in this sense, so correcting the above:

"Like, how are you, like, doing? I mean, like, what are you doing, like, now? Do you need me to, like, pick you up? When will you, like, be home? That's, like, nice. See ya, like, later..."

In law school, they drummed "um" out of us - just pause and think, don't make noise.

My MBA program did that for me. It was probably the best thing I learned there.

[bobalina77]

The "like" phrase is most annoying when used in this fashion:

"Then he was like 'lets go to the mall!' and I was like 'Sure!' and he was like 'O.K'"

I'm totally guilty of this

[GarrAarghHrumph]

I'm totally guilty of this

And it's *fine* in colloquial speech, when used with your peer group/friends/in a casual environment, especially if that's how your listeners and you both naturally speak. The issue, IMO, isn't that such slang shouldn't be used - it's that the speaker needs to be aware of, and in control of, such things, and only use them where appropriate - or at least be able to *not* use them when aren't appropriate. I mean, if I were speaking to my boss, I'd leave out the "likes". But if I were, like, talking to, like, my sister? No biggie.

[Bev Johnston]

In law school, they drummed "um" out of us - just pause and think, don't make noise.

For me it was student teaching. My evaluator tallied my "ums" the first time he came to see me teach. That was quite the eye opener.

I used to have a Spanish teacher that said "ah" all the time. We counted them when we were bored, and the number in an hour was ridiculous; something close to 100.

[numbers123]

It bothers me a lot. And people don't realize that they are doing it. DH started using "like" intensely 2 or 3 years ago. I've decided that there are bigger things to worry about.

[jamesy]

my name is jamesy and I also abuse "like"