Like… like… like

It’s a filler word OP. Don’t be so quick to judge, every does it at some point in their lives. Mostly when they are younger but many when they are older too especially if they haven’t done much public speaking.

If it’s not ‘like’ you’re using to fill in the gaps in your speech (allowing you time to think about what you’re going to say next), it’s ‘um’ or ‘ah’. I think about half of all university professors I’ve had have had a problem with using too many filler words in their lectures, just as bad if not worse than some randoms on the bus I’ve heard.

Not even just that but comfort words too, words that people say at the beginning and end of sentences because they are uncomfortable with just starting or ending a sentence on it’s own. alair mentioned ‘okay’ but there’s also ‘alright’, ‘right’, ‘so’, ‘mmkay’, ‘well then’, and the most annoying one my grade 12 math teacher was particularly fond of ‘alrighty then’.

‘like’ is more annoying because it’s an actual word that has a meaning (as opposed to the sounds of ‘um’ and ‘ah’) so you notice it more.

Also, it’s attached to the ‘stupid young female’ stereotype. As soon as anyone hears a young female abuse the word ‘like’ in a sentence even if it’s just once, she’s automatically judged as a ditz by everyone in earshot. While you’re less sensitive to the flaws in the speech of a university professor because, they’re a freaking university professor so you prejudge them as smart even before they open their mouths. Even though I personally find it more annoying when a prof can’t speak without interrupting themselves every few words because I’m paying good money for the course and I expect the speaker to be competent enough to do their job.

Have some patience OP, it’s freaking annoying I know, but this person could be still learning how to speak, just like you are conscience or it or not, and most of the rest of the human race. It sounds dumb, but almost all adults are shitty at it and still learning (the filler word habit is one that is particularly hard to kick because you don’t notice yourself doing it). Or maybe she’s an amazing speaker but just doesn’t give a shit about having perfect speech on the bus talking to a friend when she isn’t expected to impress anyone. Kind of like how I feel about grammar and proper sentence structure right now as I write a dinky little comment on an online thread as opposed to how I feel about all that stuff while writing my thesis.

Or just, you know, disregard everything I’ve said and turn the volume up on your MP3 player next time.