The thing that is annoying me at the moment is the sloppy language which is common not only on the streets, but on Radio 4 for goodness sake. Why on earth has the use of the words "so, like & wow" become so common? Then there is the common use of non words like "er".
Why are supposedly reasonably intelligent responders to interviewers incapable of just answering in proper sentences? Is it because they don't actually know their subject? Is it because they are playing for an extra second ot two of time to answer? The words are " fillers" or "verbal tics" & are completely unnecessary. They are cliched & repetetive. The sloppy habit of the sloppy speaker.
I imagine that the habit started in America. Now it has graduated through the young, who don't know better, to adults who should. These "verbal tics" pepper whole sentences. Once you become aware of it, it becomes maddeningly annoying.
I don't know how scripted interviewers are, but people like Mariella Frostrup & Eddie Mair show how it should be done. Clear, concise, no extraneous word padding.
If only there were an appropriate fine or punishment that could end this illness pervading our beautiful language. Apparently there is such a thing as a "Speech Pathologist" who could cure you.
Could we perhaps bring back the ducking stool for the excessive & unnecessary use of filler words? It would be more entertaining, as well as being a possible cure.
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