My grandsons have been watching bits of the present European Athletic Championships from Zurich, and I've noticed that all athletes have one thing linguistically in common.
Interviewer: Blah blah blah?
Athlete: Yeah; I mean.......
Why, I wonder, do they all feel it necessary to say 'I mean'?.... I mean, couldn't they say 'Yeah, like....'
The picture above is of Goldie Sayers (fellow OE). She came 6th in the girlies Javelin.
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ReplyDeletePoliticians, athletes, actors, and anyone else who needs to speak with the media do these things so that they get some time. The half-second between the question and starting the answer means a lot when anything they say is being filmed. The exact words "I mean" seem like an American influence, though :-)
ReplyDeleteHi KK..... I'd wondered where you were!
DeleteYou're probably right, that split second thinking time is just enough..... although I wouldn't include politicians, they just reply about something entirely different.
Like she was in front and then she sorta like beat me like. Yeah?
ReplyDeleteYou've been practicing!
DeleteExactly !! Lack of a good education ?
DeleteIt is amazing becouse in Hebrew too young people say "like" 10 times in a sentence with 7 words.
ReplyDeleteIt's international; sadly.
DeleteMy pet peeve is people on the radio - often science experts - who begin every answer with, "So…."
ReplyDeleteErrg.
That means what they're saying is 'fact'.
Delete