Should I be allowed to shoot teenagers with a water pistol for incorrect use and abuse of the word like ?

[rookiemater]

This morning on the way to work I queued up to collect a package for DH from the post office. Unfortunately it was 4 foot long so unlikely to fit in the bicycle panniers.

At work find out that due to horrendous general happenings it is extremely likely that my job will no longer exist in the near future.

After work, walk to post office to pick up said package and get bus home. Long queue in post office again. Am stuck a couple of people in front of two gabbing teenagers, one of whom is discussing their holiday. A typical sentence went " Well it was like five flights over to weeks like so it was in the afternoon, like at least 2.30 before we were like, home etc. etc..." After about 5 minutes I wanted to lean over the barrier and explain that the word "like " was redundant and unnecessary. After 10 minutes I wanted to bash her with a special Royal Mail prepaid poster holder.

Anyone else been overwhelmed by the misuse of this word?

Were they, like, also talking like this? Like each sentence is, like, a question? Like they are, like, on Neighbours?

"I'm like" is the new "I goes".

Oh yes I'd forgotten the annoying upward intonation at the end of each sentence.

Yes, but it's been around so long I fear I might be becoming inured to it. Like, it's so prevalent now, innit?

You're right. I listen to some teenagers and they have a different accent from me. They have an American accent, of sorts. I wonder if they will lose it at about 27 or if that's it for their life?

Yes, home and away intonation. My dc aged six does this. We've never been to Australia. Nobody in her class has ever been to Australia. She doesn't watch homeandaway. So why??

Yes, 'to be, like' is cognate with 'to say', as in "I was, like 'are you really going out with him?'"

Think the rising intonation deserves a thread of its own, if it hasn't already had one?

Have you seen that send up of that kind of teen speak between 2 WWII pilots, might be Mitchell and Webb, can't remember

it's ,like, hilarious

....unfortunately, the upward inflection at the end of a sentence is, like, part of the Bristol accent.

Therefore I am condemned to hear it daily. Sometimes from my own lips for I am, like, inflection infected.

(Incidentally, I think a spud gun more appropriate than a water pistol)

My dc have never been to Bristol either, but I have watched Holby City while they're asleep in bed upstairs, so that must be it then.

But is the Bristol inflection the same as the fake Australian one? Or are there two species?

I agree TheNaughtiest. At first I thought she was Canadian, due to the large and unsubtle sweatshirt with Canada written on it. However as I listened (e.g. eavesdropped) to her gripping stories about her holiday, I realised that she had just been to Canada. The sad thing was that she was relaying some interesting facts, it is just, like that they were hidden, like in a jumble of likes.

....a thought.

Perhaps you could suggest that they substitute "akin to" for "like".

I think this proper.

Well it was so bad that I was seriously tempted to lean over the barrier and suggest that for her future happiness and career prospects she should consider a more judicial use of the word "like". "Akin to" is a very pleasing replacement.

However I'd already had a rant in the post office in the morning to the poor hapless employee about my DH and his unfortunate habit of buying lots of items on the internet when it's not him who has to pick them up as he works the other end of town. Therefore I felt it was wise not to draw attention to myself.

Can you imagine what they'd say? "Lottie, I was like, talking to Sophie and Hannah and this, like, old biddy, like interrupted us, to like correct our speech! I was like DURR!"

I'd need a stiff drink first, but I'd love to do it.

Old biddy indeed

loobeylou - close, it's Armstrong & Miller!

here

Oh crikey, things have gone from bad to worse.

In my day, I was daily slapped around my long-socked, bekilted lower-half for using 'like' in place of 'as if'.

I jumped like I'd been hit by a pea-shooter.

As if