OK, why do some people being their posts with "OK"?

[Walloon]

The meaning is the same without the OK. Some thing with beginning a sentence with "Uh".

[NoClueBoy]

[Bugsy Malone]

Okay, see? It's like this...

[/BM]

[Q.E.D.]

Wow, how often does Gaudere's law strike in the OP itself?

[Keapon Laffin]

I've reread the OP (plus the title), and I'm still not sure what he's trying to say.
:eek:

[lieu]

I think it's meant to convey a sense of satisfaction to the reader that yes, the author has dissiminated the information and...

[danceswithcats]

Two arrant pedants walk into a bar..

[lieu]

Okay...

[friedo]

It's one of those things that people stick into the beginning of their sentences to inform you that they're talking and it's time to pay attention to them.

I knew a guy who began every single sentence with the phrase, "I mean."

"I mean, let's go out for coffee."

"I mean, this project is the highest priority."

"I mean, I spilled white-out on my new shoes!"

OK, I mean, man, that guy really pissed me off.

[shamrock227]

OK, it's like this. I think of posts on a message board the same way I do casual conversation, ok? And it seems that, when I am talking to my friends, I do start quite a few of my sentences with "OK", ok?

When I am at work, I don't. OK?

:)

[Keapon Laffin]

OK, it's like this. I think of posts on a message board the same way I do casual conversation, ok? And it seems that, when I am talking to my friends, I do start quite a few of my sentences with "OK", ok?

When I am at work, I don't. OK?

:)
Uhh, dude, you sure use the word "I" a lot.

[Walloon]

Wow, how often does Gaudere's law strike in the OP itself? :confused:

No, not "same" thing. I have been told it has some thing to do with the habit of saying, slacker style, "Uh, ok . . ."

[Cinnamon Girl]

It's one of those things that people stick into the beginning of their sentences to inform you that they're talking and it's time to pay attention to them.

I knew a guy who began every single sentence with the phrase, "I mean."

"I mean, let's go out for coffee."

"I mean, this project is the highest priority."

"I mean, I spilled white-out on my new shoes!"

OK, I mean, man, that guy really pissed me off.

That's not that bad. My mom (love her and all but...) starts off many of her sentences (not just questions) with 'Is.' I kid you not! I can't even give you examples because it's so utterly strange it boggles the mind. I try to forget. And she's pretty intelligent, too. I guess it's just a pause to get your brain to slow down so your mouth can catch up.

[Snooooopy]

Some words are there simply because they give the sentence a nice rhythm.

[Early Out]

At the health club I belong to, they have several TVs above the gym floor with the sound turned off, and the closed-captioning turned on. I saw an interview with someone who sprinkled every sentence with a lot of "you knows," and the closed-captioning preserved all of them. If you think it's annoying in speech, you should see it in print!

[Small Clanger]

If I've done it then it's been unconsiously, probably as an acknowledgement that I have considered what has been posted up 'til now and I'm not just barging in.

As for conversational ticks (I mean, you know) has anyone noticed "yes-no" as a sentence starter? I have a couple of friends who use it all the time, I think as a stand in for "yes but" or "yes and". Where the heck did that come from?

[Zebra]

Some people write in a casual conversational style, while others prefer broomstick up the bum approach to writing style.

To each, their own, OK?

[NoClueBoy]

I wonder how Broomstick feels about that...

[Trion]

Umm, so, OK dude, I mean, it's like this...

I forgot what I was going to say.

[Munch]

Ok. I can play the spoon game, can you play the spoon game?

[Bear_Nenno]

I have a friend who uses the phrase "more-less" all the freakin time. Where did she get such a phrase from??? No one else on Earth (presumably) has ever talked like this.

She says "more-less" when she means "not to mention". And even with that, she uses it wrong. She says stuff like this all the time:

"I didn't do a very good job, more-less meet the standards."

Anyone ever hear this mess before?

[Munch]

I have a friend who uses the phrase "more-less" all the freakin time. Where did she get such a phrase from??? No one else on Earth (presumably) has ever talked like this.

She says "more-less" when she means "not to mention". And even with that, she uses it wrong. She says stuff like this all the time:

"I didn't do a very good job, more-less meet the standards."

Anyone ever hear this mess before?
Do you think she's maybe saying "more or less", but running the "or" into the end of "more"? Still doesn't make complete sense, but it makes more (or less!) that way. I hear "more or less" quite often.

[Ignatz]

OK, I mean like you know like that "You know" is a contraction of "You know what I'm saying?" Some dudes who say that like a lot even contract that to "Nomesay?" But every other sentence? Aaargh!!

And the "You know?" is universal, or at least worldwide. When I was in France, I heard, "tu sait?" and when I hear a subcontintental Indian or a Brit being interviewed on teewee, it's "you know, "you know".

But only in this country have I heard the Rosie O'Donnellism of "like" used to mean "about", and otherwise being interjected like all too frequently.

Like, you know what I'm saying? It's like time we stopped this!

If interested in such things, check out the Society for the Preservation of English Language and Literature (SPELL).

[danceswithcats]

Thanks to an English teacher many years ago, I've not fallen prey to this habit. He would have each student stand in front of the class and give an extemperaneous speech on any topic for two minutes. The remainder of the class were watchdogs who listened for "filler" words. Upon hearing one of these offensive bits of speech, they collectively roared back at the speaker: UH! or YOU KNOW!. Can't do that sort of thing nowadays, it would hurt the little dears self-esteem.

A tip of the hat to you, wherever you are, Mr. Seyboldt! ;)

[don't ask]

OK some people have expressed their opinions but the truth is that it is intended to indicate "I have paid attention to all your lame opinions and the real answer is........"

I think it's arrogance and all about self-aggrandizement.

[astro]

Fuck! Wanna go to lunch?

Fuck! Did you see the Sox game?

Fuck! Now here's what I'm sayin'..

Fuck! A duck? Lotsa luck cooking that thing!

[Mama Tiger]

Okay, I've been transcribing depositions for 20 years now, and so far my personal record is one person who managed to insert "you know" seven times in one single sentence. And there are attorneys who literally cannot ask a question without inserting an "Okay" at the beginning.

Depending on whether they drive me crazy or not, sometimes I take them out -- but the way court reporters and transcribers get even with people who make them crazy is to insert all the you knows, likes, I means, okays, false starts, stumbles, etc. Makes 'em look like total morons.

[Red Stilettos]

Okay, I've been transcribing depositions for 20 years now, and so far my personal record is one person who managed to insert "you know" seven times in one single sentence. And there are attorneys who literally cannot ask a question without inserting an "Okay" at the beginning.

Depending on whether they drive me crazy or not, sometimes I take them out -- but the way court reporters and transcribers get even with people who make them crazy is to insert all the you knows, likes, I means, okays, false starts, stumbles, etc. Makes 'em look like total morons.

OMG, that would be such a nightmare for me. I know that I'm bad about using filler words. But when I'm teaching it gets worse. With my mind trying to get to the thought out btu at the same time assessing where the students are, I end up with lots of okays and ums. I hate it, but it's true. I shudder to think of how a transcript of my class would look. :eek:

[smartini]

Wow, how often does Gaudere's law strike in the OP itself?

OK, I saw that coming.

:D

[Elvez]

I think it's like written punctuation at the beginning of a sentence. It indicates that there's an important (to the speaker) point about to be made, so listen up.
I think written, it should be followed with a colon, as in
OK: here's the situation.

I hear myself and others doing something similar with "so", beginning new ideas in converstaion. It's like a full stop. Like saying "Moving on."
"So, I was downtown earlier today and..."

[Ignatz]

Ok, what is the technical word/term for the "fillers" such as "you know"? That was an answer on Jeopardy several years ago but I just missied the question.

And the other one creeping up from the kiddies into adults is ending a sentence with "and stuff."