How do you deal with people that say "like" in every sentence?

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   rutleyposted 10 years ago

   How do you deal with people that say "like" in every sentence?

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   innerspinposted 10 years ago

   So,I try to, like, ignore it, y'know, 'cos, like, we all have words that we overuse, innit? Yes, it's annoying!

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   tirelesstravelerposted 10 years ago

   Eat lots of garlic so the will stay away from me?

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   alphagirlposted 10 years ago

   I think you have to put air into those spaces of like. Perhaps you can introduce a prepositional phrase to help them. Are they nervous or just a loss for words?

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   fpherj48posted 10 years ago

   Become silently annoyed......there are a couple more that drive me to the brink........"ya know?,"........"know what I mean?"......."and ahhhhh,"
   It's not worth saying anything.  People who do this have formed a strong & steadfast habit.  Unless you could be with them 24/7...(and who would want to be?)  to continually call them on their overuse of a word or phrase, it's senseless.
   I have a very dear friend who seriously NEEDS to learn to SPEAK proper English.  I tried correcting her, privately....when it was just the 2 of us.....she would say, "He don't care."  After the shivers up my spine would subside, I would smile at her and say, "He DOESN'T care."  She KNOWS I'm correct.  She simply refuses to correct herself.   So.....go figure.

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      kathyjones1952@atposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I can't stand to hear anybody use bad English, myself, and I know how you feel!

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6. 76

   austinhealyposted 10 years ago

   From my own experience these are the same people who will throw a "you know" in the same sentence as well for good measure :
   "so she's like, you know, a total bitch you know, like I care you know and I'm like looking at her, you know, and she's like giving me a dirty look you know...
   At the end of the sentence, if it ever comes, you have no idea of what they're talking about. Am I glad to be an introvert sometimes !
   I think it's a trend, a fad, just like wearing your jeans under your buttocks so everyone can enjoy the sight of your designer underwear. Like you know, who cares ? In the end, quite annoying but a sure sign of the times. Very relevant question !

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      cat on a soapboxposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Oh yeah, you nailed it

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      CJ Sledgehammerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      It's the whole "valley girl" thing that began in the early '80's.

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   kj forceposted 10 years ago

   You really can't say much , when you are married to them...just a very bad habit..and quite annoying..I did mention it several times but that was years ago..don't bother any more...I'm sure I MUST have irritating habits also..however..no one dare say anything..hehehe

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   TNSabrinaposted 10 years ago

   Like, I just, like totally ignore them. Like, you know? Just kidding!

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   DS Dubyposted 10 years ago

   Like wow man, like haven't you ever like been to the valley man? Dude ! It was like so happinin back in the like 80's or somethin man. Totally far out. Or they've been smoking weed since the 70's, it can go either way, ya know lol

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    cat on a soapboxposted 10 years ago

    It's multiple "likes" that are hard to take. If it's more than a brief conversation w/ a stranger, I'm not polite about it and will usually point it out.  Otherwise my agitation and rolling eyes are a dead giveaway that something is bothering me.

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    connorjposted 10 years ago

    
    
    i would employ basic "Skinnerism" psychology; try stimulus -response... If like is inserted into the wrong place; give them a Skinner punishment either negative or positive. If you think about how car manufacturers invade your privacy to help you put a seat belt on; you will be on the right tract to the eventual extinction of unnecessary "like" bursts. I would think by not replying to them or avoiding their attention, this may indeed serve well at bringing about extinction of this misuse...

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    toys-everywhereposted 10 years ago

    I excuse myself as quickly as possible, run to the bathroom, scrub my brain to decontaminate it, and cry out my agony for the next ten minutes. (:

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    CJ Sledgehammerposted 10 years ago

    This issue hits close to home. My neice is as guilty as they come. I finally had enough and silently counted each time she said "like" in a sentence. When I told her she had said "like" nearly 50 times in 10 minutes, she began to think about it.
    
    I then began to talk like she does, just to drive the point home. She thought it sounded kind of stupid coming from me, and thought perhaps it wasn't that appealing coming from her either.
    
    In subsequent conversations, she began monitoring her use of "like" and even gave me status reports on how well she was doing, because she never knew that she was doing it before...at least not until I lovingly called her on it.

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    Rosana Modugnoposted 10 years ago

    It's annoying for the most part.  I hear it's addicting when you start saying it, wouldn't know.

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    lburmasterposted 10 years ago

    By ignoring them, but sometimes they just ruin moments. For example, we went out to a nice restaurant on a date night and sat right next to a young couple, the female I recognized from three years ago at my parents church. David counted the times she said "like", 64. Since then, we haven't gone to that location again.

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    Express10posted 10 years ago

    It is very easy to deal with them...at arms length or greater. Otherwise, I am annoyed and desperately seeking an appropriate retreat.

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    Garifaliaposted 10 years ago

    Like I don't know.

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18. 69

    abbykorinneleeposted 10 years ago

    LOL...I couldn't stop laughing when I read your question because I grew up in the Los Angeles Valley where we grew up saying "like" so many times in a sentence my father went crazy and would correct me every single time I said it.  I think I have ceased to have this bad habit, but I do slip "dude" in their every now and than and get giggles from the people here in Wisconsin that catch I said it.
    
    I truthfully DO notice when people do it since I used to and it was pointed out to me all the time.  If its my child I correct them every time and explain why its best to get rid of the habit.  If its not my child but a close friends child or a good friend of my child's I correct them sometimes.  If its a child I don't know I just reiterate to my own child not to do it.
    
    If its an adult and I know them really well and they won't get offended I laugh a little and point it out in an endearing way but normally they get the hint and try not to do it again.  If its someone in a college class I ignore it as I don't want to offend them and its not for me to correct them, I leave that to their English Professors.  Sometimes its best to ignore it.  If it was an employee of mine I do a one on one conference and discuss the issue.  I have never had anyone not try to fix it.  It makes someone seem less intelligent than they really are so I do point that out as a professional needs to be as intelligent and business like as possible in any job choice.
    
    Sometimes its not for us to say anything so I ignore it and if it annoys me I try to just limit my personal engagement or talking to them as much as possible.

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