"... If you know what I mean"

[Emmanuela]

A girl that I work with, she puts 'if you know what I mean" at the end of every sentence, and I'm not exaggerating here. Why do people say this? It annoys me greatly. I, unfortunately, have gotten into the habbit of saying 'like' to often, but I am trying to stop.

So, my question, why do people use these extra words? I thought that text talk and the like are about making words shorter but now they're adding in extra words. *sigh* It's times like these when I want to go and live in a Tuscan nunnery...  

[Zealot of Insanity]

One other case is where people add "dawg" after every sentence. It's just annoying, but there's nothing we can do about it.  

[Dollface Lovely]

I say 'like' quite often when I'm not paying attention to my word choice, which I've been trying to 'fix' as well as the whole 'me'/'I' thing (Joe and I vs. Me and Joe etc.) though I'd like to think I don't talk like a valley girl. If you're honestly not exaggertating, perhaps she can try reading a book?
Filler words are quite common now-a-days, it's just that some people use them too much, and sometimes it just annoys me to no end.

 

[Litia_Echo]

hmm I tend to say like too much also.
Is that even proper grammer, I never could figure it out... saying "too" and then "also". Or should I just leave out the "also"?  

[Ame Yuki Kaze]

I don't think there's a correct/incorrect choice between "also" and "too". As for the filler words, I guess people insert them to sound important, or maybe because they feel like they have to cap off their sentences with something more. I used to say "know what I mean" as a kid, but have since left that habit behind.  

[Archdemonessa]

I say the word 'twomp' too much, but I'm trying to stop. Sadly, I don't even know what it means... I'm such an idiot.  

[wonkyspoon]

Filler words . . . well, I'd be a hypocrite if I said that I didn't say "like" or "you know" more than I should. The thing is, people are talking faster than they used to. If I talk to my grandparents, they talk slowly and deliberately. Compared to them, our sentences are high-speed trainwrecks. But that's just the way things are, I suppose.  

[lola_siannodel]

It's kinda like when people keep saying "yo" all the time.  

[Sachiko13]

someone in my history class once complained about the girls saying "like" after every word when they were sharing current events. they tried to stop, but they couldn't. one of the radio stations in my area has this contest in which you have to talk for 60 seconds without saying "like," "um," or any other filler words. most people can't.  

[dark_elf]

Elizabeth Hawkeye

I say the word 'twomp' too much, but I'm trying to stop. Sadly, I don't even know what it means... I'm such an idiot.

To me a 'twomp' is one of the critter in Mario. I don't like Valley Girl or ganster or hip hop talk. stare

I like your username. 3nodding  

[SeleigheFey]

People hate being quiet. They feel that if they don't fill the silences with something, the other person will either finish their sentence or--gasp--come up with a thought of their own. "Um" is acceptable within reason, to designate thought, but "like," "you know," and others are habits that must be broken.  

[Archdemonessa]

I also say clueless frickin' idiot, to people who annoy me. And to my boyfriend.  

[snazy-a-tastic]

"Y'know" is one that has always stood out to me. Of course, there's the stereotypical one for Canadians like myself, "Eh." I can't offer any more insight about why people say these things than what has already been said, though.  

[agny-pantsu]

There's nothing wrong with saying, "...you know what I mean" jokingly every once in a while (this sketch comes to mind http://www.jumpstation.ca/recroom/comedy/python/nudge.html) mrgreen

I absolutely cannot stand people who constantly say "like"... I want to beat them with a hammer O.o ninja  

[Poet`s Playground]

It seems like people just feel like they haven't finished their sentence or something... or they're reasserting who they're talking to. Sometimes if I'm telling someone about something and I'll make a statement and then no one says anything I'll add a "y'know?" or something like that, sort of hanging off the end of the sentence...