那个， 那个， 那个, in Chinese roughly sounds like something I don’t want to repeat here, but will anyway: “nigga, nigga, nigga.”
When women (rarely hear men use this phrase) say “but, i just feel…” instead of giving an explanation. I suppose it could be used to omit information, but those who tend to say it, prefer to use it a lot, thus somewhat a filler.
Similarly (tangentially?) I cannot stand a listener who cannot listen with their fucking mouth shut.
As part of my job, I’ll be explaining something to a client. Maybe six or eight sentences, all told. There is no need for a response until I’ve completed my soliloquy, yet they are saying, “ah huh” or “oh, yes” or “hmmmmmm” every few seconds, all the time nodding and making affirming facial expressions.
Seriously dude? I’ll entertain any and all questions after I’ve had my say, but no, you have to go fucking with my mojo.
/tangential rant #pet-peeve
People who go to marriage counseling are taught to talk like this. I’m sure when one gets in the habit of talking this way, they do it not just with their spouses, but with everybody.
I would not consider the positive anymore a verbal filler! It is definitely doing meaningful work in sentences where it is used.
‘But, uh’ is funny because it sounds like butter.
Starting answers to questions with “So ------”. You hear it a lot when politicians, authors and historians are being interviewed on the various state-level cable shows like PA Books on PCN. For some reason it just drives me crazy.
:o I am guilty of this. I’ll try harder, if that makes any sense? 
My manager does too, and so do I. It is to give me a moment to organize the order of what I need to say and be clear about it.
My theory is the introductory “I’m collecting my thoughts” word changes over time. It may have been Um, er, and those sounded bad, so it becomes “Well…” which eventually becomes “So…” I noticed on The Daily Show or other pundit interviews that the interviewee sometimes says “Look,…” It’s a more aggressive form of “So…”, communicating “I’m about to make a decisive proclamation about something”.
They analyzed the use of “So…” on NPR A Way With Words, and the linguist said it also signals that the speaker agrees with what you said and is expanding on it. I’m thinking “Well…” might signify that they don’t agree and will tell you why, like a “Well, but…”
I suppose it would make sense in that case, but those whom I hear it the most from have never been married, let alone to any type of counseling. I don’t know what their excuse is. All I know is it is tremendously annoying. Since when was “I think” (meaning, to know to the best of your ability) not good enough. :smack:
I have reached that point! Very annoying. We were at a wedding reception last weekend. During the best man’s speech, he must have used the phrase “that being said” 50 times. UGH! Eventually, the other groomsmen were laughing their asses off every time he said it. So then he got flustered and it really got out of control. It was like a neon sign of “that being said” was flashing above his head. Poor guy, I hope he learned his lesson.
I try to edit this one out of my writing. It’s kind of a “bless your heart”: I put it in when I’m feeling scornful or irritated at someone. If I’ve started a post with it, chances are I need to chill out.
I’m not sure this fits the thread exactly, but I needed to complain about it anyway. I place a lot of orders by phone, and the other day I spoke to a young man who needed to make continuous noises while he was entering my information, I guess to make sure I knew he hadn’t gone away. “Okay, let me pull up your account…ch ch ch ch ch ch…there, now what’s your phone number? Ch ch ch ch ch ch ch, okay got it…” It was painful.
I used to tour guide in college and I noticed myself saying “and things like that” a whoooole helluva lot. I tried very hard to stop myself.
Also as a tour guide, and my short stints teaching as a grad assistant, it would drive me insane when someone has a question, or they’re responding to one of my questions, and I call on them and they start their question/answer with “Well, I was gonna say…”. You weren’t “gonna” say anything! You just said it!
One girl I had did this every. [del]fuckin[/del] freakin. time. and I absolutely hated it.
“Can I ask you a question?”
a) You just did;
b) Now it’s going to be TWO questions.
Yes, I had a co-worker who did this. It immediately takes away the impact of what you are saying, esp. if you say “No, I was just going to say…”
Yes!! Happens a lot on Antiques Roadshow. Makes me stabby.
Yunnastan wuddime sane?
I cannot tolerate the use of “so” and “well” at the beginning of sentences. Makes the speaker sound ignorant. I realize those words are place or thought holders. I’ve trained myself to keep quiet until I can formulate my words without using so or well.
I knew an Egyptian woman , that sai "yanny’ as a filler and she was speaking English . Then a scots that’ yer Ken?,
makes a note not to hang up with kayaker as she doesn’t want to irritate him Can I get a pass if it’s cultural? In Spain not making those “I hear you” noises would be considered to indicate a lack of attention. We clap in the middle of concerts too.
I tend to have bitch resting face so when someone is talking I try to look interested/pleasant, nod, etc., to (1) keep myself engaged in what is being said (2) not make you feel like I hate everything you are saying to me.
I realized another one I do: “As far as I know, …”, “as far as I understand it, …” or “to the best of my knowledge, …”. It’s because everything is decentralized around here and communication sucks so who knows, things may have changed since I last heard about it!