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Filler words and phrases

(17 Posts)
gillybob Wed 26-Sep-18 15:39:32

There was an amusing discussion on local radio this morning about words that we use to fill sentences.

One guy rang in and said that he and his colleagues used to have a wager between them on how many times his ex boss used the word "actually" in a meeting, presentation or telephone call. Some other popular ones were "obviously" and "like".

I am a Geordie and often say "like" in sentences and I know someone who uses the word "exactly" all of the time (even when it makes no sense).

I know many Gransnetters only ever use the most perfect English grammar but for those of you who are slightly less than perfect like, do you have any filler words that you use?

Eglantine21 Wed 26-Sep-18 15:40:14

Absolutely!

pensionpat Wed 26-Sep-18 15:55:50

Of course

MiniMoon Wed 26-Sep-18 16:02:06

Right, or indeed.

chocolatepudding Wed 26-Sep-18 16:05:31

Going forward!!!! I don't use it and cannot understand why people use it.

Bathsheba Wed 26-Sep-18 16:07:04

I know someone who adds "and everything" meaninglessly to his conversation. "I knew they'd be here at midday, so I was tidying and everything, and making sure I had enough in for lunch and everything, but they arrived early while I had to dash down the shops and everything..." confused - a fairly typical example grin

Bathsheba Wed 26-Sep-18 16:09:49

I catch myself pretty often saying 'exactly', or 'yes, I know' (but not with Sybil Fawlty's intonation grin)

ninathenana Wed 26-Sep-18 16:23:28

A friend uses 'type of thing' a lot.
I confess to saying 'exactly' more often than I ' kind of' should 'so to speak'

grannyqueenie Wed 26-Sep-18 16:26:01

When gd1 was a small and very self determined little girl every little thing needed to be negotiated truth to tell as a teenager it’s much the same!. My dil said that after I’d had gd with me her catch phrase was “tell you what, mummy, why don’t we....?” I’d no idea I said that so much.

gillybob Wed 26-Sep-18 16:26:28

Yikes, have recognised another one of my own.... But.... confused

gillybob Wed 26-Sep-18 16:32:54

My last lovely dentist (the man who helped me lose my fear) always said "type of thing" ninathenana. English wasn't his first language and although it rarely made sense I think he just like to say it, type of thing.

He would chat away while you lay there with your mouth wide open.... "how is your family doing, type of thing?" smile

Lynne59 Wed 26-Sep-18 17:13:05

My late mother-in-law always said "sort of business"...I never understood it. She'd say "I thought of making cottage pie, sort of business" for example, but she said it after everything.

Her daughter, my SIL, says "if you know what I mean", after every damn thing

gillybob Wed 26-Sep-18 17:26:46

“basically” is another popular one .

NonnaW Wed 26-Sep-18 18:05:27

DH’s previous neighbour used to say ‘Know what I mean?’ In almost very sentence. It got distracting after a while, I lost track of what he was telling us and just heard ‘Know what I mean’, if you know what I mean grin

gillybob Wed 26-Sep-18 18:07:54

It could be worse NonnaW here in the NE we say “ya know worra mean like?” grin

Jane10 Wed 26-Sep-18 18:11:04

Listening to youngsters on the bus it's like 'like' before and after every like word. Like!

kittylester Wed 26-Sep-18 18:20:22

My brother in law says 'uuummm' when he is at a loss for words but I think it's so that no one else can get a word in until he has finished droning on speaking.