Why is there a persistent tendency...

My history teacher in high school chronically said "Okay?" at the end of almost every sentence and "Um" through-out each one....I was bored enough to calculate it out one day, it was 2.4 ums per minute and 1.8 okays. An hour of that every week day was enough to train me to watch my speech patterns. Then there's like those people who like, say like after every other word, because everything's like something else, not like what it really is...like right?
 
Inka4040 said:
Well, it is used a lot in the media, and like anything else, has become part of the general vernacular. Beyond that, it conveys informality and for some people, probably imitates their natural speech. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that in conversation. Anyway, trying to stop the evolution of a language is like trying to dam a river with your finger. The manner in which we speak has changed vastly throughout history, and will continue to do so as long as people are talking. Don't like it? Don't worry, probably won't be around for that long either way. Words are tools, but they can also be toys. What's wrong with having a bit of fun with them?
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"Well" is another word that is commonly used to start off a sentence, I catch myself doing that all the time..LOL.
 
I'm pretty sure that the "okay" phenomenon is an unintentional inclusive element in modern speech-- a way for the speaker to assure him/herself that s/he has the listener's attention and that the listener is "on-board" with the speaker. It goes right along with "Upspeak" (not my term for it)-- the tendency to make statements with an upward infection at the end to cause the listener to agree with you.-- Yeah, I do have too much time on my hands, and Yeah, I do get paid for it. Otherwise, I'm with Inka and yeah, the "yeah's" were intentional. :)
 
I love these comments! Thanks to all. I agree with Inka (and others) that this likely represents the common vernacular tendencies of the individual posting. I find it fascinating that it would mainfest in written "speech"!

Hannah, don't get me started on the use of, "ummmm" and the dreaded "...you know?" My wife (who is highly educated and an exceptional communicator) is nevertheless going through a bad-outbreak of the "you knows". She knows the best solution is simply slow the speech and contemplate the spoken words first.

Regardless, I am by no means a grammar expert nor English major. Still, I do find the art of communcition suffering of late :D
 
Ok, well, ummm... Let us know how it ummmm goes with that, okay? Cause, like, ummm... we care, you know? I do find it amazing how often people use simple train of thought when writing and they don't edit or proof read at all. I find myself doing that sometimes. I put my foot in my mouth; not because I use the incorrect words, but because it is painful and disgusting; I am trying to break myself of the habit of posting train of thought unedited.
 
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