# Verbal crutches in other than American English **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 4, 2016, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065 "2016-09-04T22:34:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/21 "2016-09-05T17:26:23Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > This isn’t another language but another dialect of English. I have an Irish friend who ends sentences with ‘alright.’ Another particularly Irish usage is “So” used in that way. Or even “Alright, so” or “OK, so”. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/22 "2016-09-05T18:24:36Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > Another particularly Irish usage is “So” used in that way. Or even “Alright, so” or “OK, so”. Yes, he does that too! (‘‘Alright, so.’’) Whereas Americans might use that construction to open a sentence, he’ll end with it. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/23 "2016-09-05T18:24:57Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > The one that I’m familiar is the Chinese (na4 ge). Some people use it a lot when they talk! Often resulting in my awkwardness and misunderstandings among English speakers, as it comes out sounding something like “negga.” It’s used constantly in Mandarin. It takes one the role of “like” as well as “uh” and “um”. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/24 "2016-09-05T18:28:40Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Often resulting in my awkwardness and misunderstandings among English speakers, as it comes out sounding something like “negga.” > > It’s used constantly in Mandarin. It takes one the role of “like” as well as “uh” and “um”. Yup. I had a college friend who spoke Mandarin and he got a lot of good-natured ribbing for the ‘‘negga’’ thing whenever he was talking to his family on the phone. Although we were more entertained when he code-switched suddenly into English, like speaking fluent Mandarin and suddenly inserting the word ‘‘sweater.’’ ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/25 "2016-09-05T18:39:43Z")
When I was in Toastmasters, we had a plastic dragon that would be passed on every week. It was the “Uh” award. I think the record holder was 79 “uhs” in a five minute speech. ---
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/26 "2016-09-05T19:41:43Z")
I’ve noticed some Spanish speakers will sometimes start a sentence with “Bueno…”. It seems to be equivalent to an English speaker starting a sentence with “Well…”. I live in California so most likely these people are probably speaking the Mexican dialect of Spanish. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/27 "2016-09-05T19:54:47Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > When I was in college, I was in my second semester German class, taught by a grad student. She would end her sentences with the equivalent of “et cetera, et cetera” (I can say what she said, but I’m not confident enough in how to spell it correctly) - anyway, it was most obnoxious, as was she. I always got the feeling that she was trying to impress us. I wasn’t impressed.. \*usw \*= _und so wieder_ ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/28 "2016-09-05T20:17:32Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Canadians, eh? They don’t add don’t use any verbal crutches, eh? Eh is short hand with “I am making this assertion, but I don’t want to presume for you, so I am asking if you agree, politely of course.” So be glad we use “Eh”. Your first use of Eh is not really correct, but the second one is. Eh? ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/29 "2016-09-06T20:14:33Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > It seems that many, many people from the most inarticulate high school jock to the President of the United States will pepper their comments with “y’know” as a filler, or for whatever other reason. Another, perhaps dated, word is like, popular with, like, teenage girls, who, like, say “like” like every other, like, word. I’ve also noticed more and more people on the radio saying “I mean” when it has no real meaning. > > Are there similar words or phrases that fill other languages or English spoken in other parts of the world? Surely this isn’t an exclusively American oral tradition, is it? Nope, it isn’t. A example of this in Japanese is そうですね (sou desu ne), which is kind of like “that’s right” or “uh-huh” but is typically prepended to a response to a question. It is wildly overused and, in some cases, completely unnecessary or even contradictory, e.g., “Miss Tanaka, the color of your hat is really nice.” “So desu ne, I don’t really like it.” Some people say ‘sou desu ne’ before every response they give, regardless of context, sometimes 20 times in a span of five minutes. You will hear this a lot during interviews with pop and movie stars, especially those under 30. It’s like they need to fill the second or so before their actual response with something while simultaneously seeming politely agreeable. Another example of this is ええと (eeto), or あの~~ (ano), both of which are equivalent to ‘um’ and often used before the actual response to a question. ---
**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/30 "2016-09-07T13:03:55Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > \*usw \*= _und so wieder_ Actually usw is typically _und so weiter_ In Dutch “enzo” short for “enzovoorts” means the same and serves a crutch function as well, compares to “and stuff”. The Dutch also often use “even” (briefly or quickly) or “makkelijk” (easy) when there is no obvious reason for the word at that point. The latter one is also used as a one word sentence indicating assent or concurrence. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/31 "2016-09-07T17:53:53Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Another - can’t believe I forgot it - is _basically_. Many years ago, I knew a coworker who started nearly every sentence with “basically”. I was never sure if he was using in place of a lead filler from his native language or if it was a habit he developed to buy time for mental translation. (I’m not sure what his primary language was. Maybe Yoruba. I don’t remember much about him other than the “basically” tic.) ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/32 "2016-09-08T16:27:04Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Often resulting in my awkwardness and misunderstandings among English speakers, as it comes out sounding something like “negga.” More specifically it might cause discomfort amongst black people and/or African-Americans until they become more exposed to the language. There are some funny YouTube videos that take advantage of this word. > [@X.L.Lent](#): > > I’ve noticed some Spanish speakers will sometimes start a sentence with “Bueno…”. It seems to be > equivalent to an English speaker starting a sentence with “Well…”. I live in California so most likely > these people are probably speaking the Mexican dialect of Spanish. I’ll add “pos” to the Spanish list, but it’s really just a corruption of “pues,” which does mean “well” (in the non-health sense). I hear/use “bueno” a lot, too, and sometimes even “bien”. “Se me hace” (“it seems to me”) kind of acts like a filler a lot, too, in that usually when I hear it it’s not important to the sentence. And of course “sabes?” (“you know?”), used like **Nava** ’s “verdad” example. ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/33 "2016-09-08T16:41:28Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > … > I’ll add “pos” to the Spanish list, but it’s really just a corruption of “pues,” which does mean “well” (in the non-health sense). I hear/use “bueno” a lot, too, and sometimes even “bien”. “Se me hace” (“it seems to me”) kind of acts like a filler a lot, too, in that usually when I hear it it’s not important to the sentence. And of course “sabes?” (“you know?”), used like **Nava** ’s “verdad” example. Chileans drop the “s” and just say “po.” [https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090120114234AAuW0gO](https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090120114234AAuW0gO) ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/34 "2016-09-08T16:44:56Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Nope, it isn’t. A example of this in Japanese is そうですね (sou desu ne), which is kind of like “that’s right” or “uh-huh” but is typically prepended to a response to a question. It is wildly overused and, in some cases, completely unnecessary or even contradictory, e.g., “Miss Tanaka, the color of your hat is really nice.” “So desu ne, I don’t really like it.” > > Some people say ‘sou desu ne’ before every response they give, regardless of context, sometimes 20 times in a span of five minutes. You will hear this a lot during interviews with pop and movie stars, especially those under 30. It’s like they need to fill the second or so before their actual response with something while simultaneously seeming politely agreeable. Another example of this is ええと (eeto), or あの~~ (ano), both of which are equivalent to ‘um’ and often used before the actual response to a question. I’ve seen eeto and ano a lot in anime. I’ve always considered this a type of verbal stereotype. “Look! Here’s a person who’s feeling awkward.” Look! Here’s a person who’s feeling confused." ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/35 "2016-09-08T17:18:53Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Nava, that was a really informative post – thanks. > > In Mexico, overuse of _o sea_ is associated with well-to-do, young-to-middle-aged women from Mexico City (plus maybe Monterrey and Guadalajara). > > _Pues_ is common throughout Mexico, but is especially heard among several indigenous groups, such as the highland Maya of Chiapas state. > > _Este_ is heard a lot as well, almost anywhere. _Pues_ is a very stereotypical filler from almost anyone here in Panama, so much it is often made fun of. I hear _o sea_ and _este_ often as well. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/36 "2016-09-08T17:26:41Z")
In Singapore, it’s all ‘Yeah, la!’, ‘Cannot la!’, ‘Why you be like that la?’ La, la, la. It’s fun, ( is used as the familiar?), I always enjoy hearing it! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/37 "2016-09-08T17:32:06Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > Plenty of these in French. Off the top of my head: > > - _Bon / bien_: More or less used like “well”. > > - _Hein_: At the end of a sentence. Expresses disbelief (with a suggestion that the person repeat what they’ve just said) or insistance (_N’en parle pas, hein !_ - **Don’t** talk about it !) > > - _Tu vois_ (= you see): Works pretty much the same way as “you know”. > > - _Quoi_: At the end of a sentence. Insistance (_Mais ne vas pas là, quoi !_ - Come on, don’t go there !) > > - _Euh_ (= … er… ): Pure filler. Can get really annoying. > > - _Mais enfin_, often shortened to _M’enfin_: Expresses surprise and annoyance/panic. Used to great effect by [Gaston](http://lagaffemegate.free.fr/agace/663.jpg) [Lagaffe](http://redac.cuk.ch/archives_v3/3357/gaston3.png). And the ubiquitous “_donc_” (so. . .) In Portuguese, _entao_ (also meaning ‘so’) is used a lot. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/38 "2016-09-08T18:13:51Z")
> [@Isosleepy](#): > > In Dutch “enzo” short for “enzovoorts” means the same and serves a crutch function as well, compares to “and stuff”. In England you may well hear “anat” (contraction of “and that”). French, of course, also has the non-verbal shrug to bring into a conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/39 "2016-09-08T19:29:49Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > In Singapore, it’s all ‘Yeah, la!’, ‘Cannot la!’, ‘Why you be like that la?’ > > La, la, la. > > It’s fun, ( is used as the familiar?), I always enjoy hearing it! Ahh yes, Singlish 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065/40 "2016-09-08T21:00:22Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Oh God, _¿verdad?_ - “true?” > > So we were going to the movies, true? and I wanted to watch the baby movie, true? but it’s not on until the weekend, true? and there is the animals one, true? but I wasn’t really sure because it’s cartoons, true?.. > > For some reason people who use that particular one seem to really, really, really like it, true? I’ve been watching the second season of Narcos. Now I know just enough Spanish to spot a few differences between what the actors are saying and what the English subtitles say. Several of the characters in the series use the Spanish word ‘cierto’ as filler but the translation is hardly ever in the subtitles. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbal-crutches-in-other-than-american-english/765065.md?page=3)