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Usenet Posted 19 years ago
Usage
Verbal fillers
Help! I've noticed that over time as a family we become addicted to 'fillers' which are words or phrases we use that have no meaning in context and are simply to allow thinking time. Once pointed out these become very annoying.
The British Prime Minister has a long held habit of using the phrase "you know" in the middle of sentences and a recent short interview contained no fewer than 40 of them.
The one we're struggling with at present is beginning sentences with "well". We first noticed our 4 year old doing it and then someone pointed out she'd learnt it from us - and we realised we were the cause! Now we make a "Bzzt" noise every time someone starts a sentence with "well" in the hope that we can wean ourselves off it.
During a recent episode of Grey's Anatomy two characters managed four consecutive sentences beginning with "well" so perhaps that's where we got it.
Any other recovering wellaholics out there?
Tim
The British Prime Minister has a long held habit of using the phrase "you know" in the middle of sentences and a recent short interview contained no fewer than 40 of them.
The one we're struggling with at present is beginning sentences with "well". We first noticed our 4 year old doing it and then someone pointed out she'd learnt it from us - and we realised we were the cause! Now we make a "Bzzt" noise every time someone starts a sentence with "well" in the hope that we can wean ourselves off it.
During a recent episode of Grey's Anatomy two characters managed four consecutive sentences beginning with "well" so perhaps that's where we got it.
Any other recovering wellaholics out there?
Tim
Top answer
[nq:1]Help! I've noticed that over time as a family we become addicted to 'fillers' which are words or phrases we ... four consecutive sentences beginning with "well" so perhaps that's where we got it.
- [nq:1]Help!
- I've noticed that over time as a family we become addicted to 'fillers' which are words or phrases we ...
- four consecutive sentences beginning with "well" so perhaps that's where we got it.
- Any other recovering wellaholics out there?
- Tim[/nq] No, I'm quite well thank-you!
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29 Answers
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[nq:1]Help! I've noticed that over time as a family we become addicted to 'fillers' which are words or phrases we ... four consecutive sentences beginning with "well" so perhaps that's where we got it. Any other recovering wellaholics out there? Tim[/nq]
No, I'm quite well thank-you!
No, I'm quite well thank-you!
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(snipped)
[nq:1]Help! I've noticed that over time as a family we become addicted to 'fillers' which are words or phrases we ... episode of Grey's Anatomy two characters managed four consecutive sentences beginning with "well" so.. Any other recovering wellaholics out there?[/nq]
Well, I am not sure I am a wellaholic. However, I am sure rather than pay attention to a single word, I pay atte
[nq:1]Help! I've noticed that over time as a family we become addicted to 'fillers' which are words or phrases we ... episode of Grey's Anatomy two characters managed four consecutive sentences beginning with "well" so.. Any other recovering wellaholics out there?[/nq]
Well, I am not sure I am a wellaholic. However, I am sure rather than pay attention to a single word, I pay atte
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[nq:2]The one we're struggling with at present is beginning sentences with "well". We first noticed our 4 year old doing it and then someone..[/nq]
[nq:1]Give attention to every single word you utter and you will not come across as being unconscious.[/nq]
Well, I don't usually agree with Purl Gurl, but, well, she has a point. The bullying of the 4 year old for not speaking "properly" makes
[nq:1]Give attention to every single word you utter and you will not come across as being unconscious.[/nq]
Well, I don't usually agree with Purl Gurl, but, well, she has a point. The bullying of the 4 year old for not speaking "properly" makes
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[nq:2]Give attention to every single word you utter and you will not come across as being unconscious.[/nq]
[nq:1]Well, I don't usually agree with Purl Gurl, but, well, she has a point. The bullying of the 4 year old for not speaking "properly" makes you seem particularly obnoxious. Get over yourself![/nq]
Do not cling to my coattails of greatness. Do not associate your words with mine. I
[nq:1]Well, I don't usually agree with Purl Gurl, but, well, she has a point. The bullying of the 4 year old for not speaking "properly" makes you seem particularly obnoxious. Get over yourself![/nq]
Do not cling to my coattails of greatness. Do not associate your words with mine. I
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[nq:1]I admire Tim and his wife for their efforts to provide their girl with a good upbringing.[/nq]
Well, that makes me quite sure I was right! *** help the child of an **** overcontrolling rules enthusiast. (I was one).
Well, that makes me quite sure I was right! *** help the child of an **** overcontrolling rules enthusiast. (I was one).
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[nq:1]Help! I've noticed that over time as a family we become addicted to 'fillers' which are words or phrases we ... managed four consecutive sentences beginning with "well" so perhaps that's where we got it. Any other recovering wellaholics out there?[/nq]
I heard someone interviewed on an NPR program the other day who probably started every response in the
interview with "Well, .
I heard someone interviewed on an NPR program the other day who probably started every response in the
interview with "Well, .
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[nq:2]Give attention to every single word you utter and you will not come across as being unconscious.[/nq]
[nq:1]Well, I don't usually agree with Purl Gurl, but, well, she has a point. The bullying of the 4 year old for not speaking "properly" makes you seem particularly obnoxious. Get over yourself![/nq]
What's "bullying" about trying to correct a sloppy speech habit? Did you fail to not
[nq:1]Well, I don't usually agree with Purl Gurl, but, well, she has a point. The bullying of the 4 year old for not speaking "properly" makes you seem particularly obnoxious. Get over yourself![/nq]
What's "bullying" about trying to correct a sloppy speech habit? Did you fail to not
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[nq:1]What's "bullying" about trying to correct a sloppy speech habit?[/nq]
What's "sloppy speech habit"-ish about it? You have claimed that it is, but that is merely your opinion about the matter. The practice may not, in fact, be a "sloppy speech habit" at all. Thinking it is doesn't make it so. The fact that it occurs universally in human language (non-fluency features of this sort, not jus
What's "sloppy speech habit"-ish about it? You have claimed that it is, but that is merely your opinion about the matter. The practice may not, in fact, be a "sloppy speech habit" at all. Thinking it is doesn't make it so. The fact that it occurs universally in human language (non-fluency features of this sort, not jus
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[nq:2]The bullying of the 4 year old for not speaking "properly" makes you seem particularly obnoxious. Get over yourself![/nq]
[nq:1]What's "bullying" about trying to correct a sloppy speech habit? Did you fail to note the parents are also trying to break themselves of it, and acknowledged that their child picked it up from them?[/nq]
There's no such thing as a four-year-old with a sloppy
[nq:1]What's "bullying" about trying to correct a sloppy speech habit? Did you fail to note the parents are also trying to break themselves of it, and acknowledged that their child picked it up from them?[/nq]
There's no such thing as a four-year-old with a sloppy
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[nq:1](often referred to as the "illoctionary act/foce" of the sentence)[/nq]
The perlocutionary force of that particular sentence being to guide the reader to scratch their heads in bewilderment about what language I was typing in!
Ignoring the typos, I meant to write:
[nq:1](often referred to as the "illocutionary act/force" of the sentence)[/nq]
johnF
"We do not have
The perlocutionary force of that particular sentence being to guide the reader to scratch their heads in bewilderment about what language I was typing in!
Ignoring the typos, I meant to write:
[nq:1](often referred to as the "illocutionary act/force" of the sentence)[/nq]
johnF
"We do not have
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