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Have you ever unconsciously
or even consciously inserted some words or phrases like “you
know”, “well”, “you see” in your speeches? Or have you ever
felt annoyed by your students overusing these phrases in your
conversation class? Some English language learners tend to
imitate the native speaker’s tone obsessively, and they find
these bridging phrases useful by breaking up sentences to
make the speech easier.
However, in realistic communicative
situations, although some people or cultures may be quite
tolerant with these transitional phrases of little meanings,
a reserved speaker or formal occasions may not welcome such
usage. The following passage quoted from ‘Who Cares About
English Usage?’ by David Crystal, a distinguished British
linguistic scholar, discusses how the “parenthetic” phrases
used by the unconscious speaker influence the meaning and
value of one’s speech.
Cindy Lee
By David Crystal
There's nothing that
irritates me more than having to listen to some empty-headed
person being interviewed on radio and TV, when he's asked
a perfectly straightforward question, and he pads out his
answer with a flood of you knows.
So wrote one angry radio listener.
Nor is it just you know which is singled out for attack. There
are several words and phrases which people insert into their
speech, and which attract criticism when they are over-used.
Some of them can be seen in the following conversation - which
isn't entirely fictitious:
- Interviewer:
So why has your policy changed?
- Famous Person: Well,
you know, there hasn't been, you know, a change, as it were,
in the usual sense of that word ... you see, I mean, there
is in fact a difference between change and, you know, development,
so to say ...
No one would be happy with this kind
of reply - especially if it came from somebody whose standing
might lead you to expect something rather more confident and
coherent.
That's why many people object to you
know, you see, mind you, I mean, and all the other 'parenthetic'
phrases of this kind. They are held to be signs of unclear
thinking, or lack of confidence, and anyone anxious to develop
a controlled, precise speech style, or an authoritative public
image, would do well to avoid them. Some people go further.
In their view, phrases like you know should be scrupulously
eradicated from the language in the next major clean-up exercise.
They are of no value. They communicate no meaning. So let's
get rid of them. Enough said?
See in how many places you could plausibly
insert a ‘you know’ in the following sentence. You certainly
won't be able to have the phrase between every pair of words,
and still have natural English. There's a space to mark whether
you find the sentence acceptable or not.
Between you and me, John does not want to travel to New York
next week.
Acceptable Unacceptable
Between, you know, you and me, John
does
not want to travel to New York next week.
Between you, you know, and me, John does
not want to travel to New York next week.
Between you and, you know, me, John does
not want to travel to New York next week.
Between you and me, you know, John does
not want to travel to New York next week.
Between you and me, John, you know, does
not want to travel to New York next week.
Between you and me, John does, you know.
not want to travel to New York next week.
Between you and me, John does not, you
know, want to travel to New York next week.
Between you and me, John does not want,
you know. to travel to New York next week.
Between you and me, John does not want to.
you know, travel to New York next week.
Between you and me, John does not want to
travel, you know, to New York next week.
Between you and me, John does not want to
travel to, you know. New York next week.
Between you and me, John does not want to
travel to New, you know, York next week.
Between you and me, John does not want to
travel to New York, you know, next week.
Between you and me, John does not want to
travel to New York next, you know. week.
Source:
Crystal, David. (1983) Who Cares About English Usage? London:
Penguin.
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