Rolling Shakespeare

About twenty years ago, a public radio station in Washington, DC, featured a great call-in show with a guy named Fred Fiske. One of his pet peeves at the time was people who said "I mean you know" in every sentence. At the time, this add-on phrase was being used by people almost everywhere, including on radio and tv. Fred began a campaign to let people know how dumb it sounded and eventually (somewhat thanks to him).. it died out. However, I still hear a few people who haven't gotten the message.



Now, for the past few years, another popular phraseology has taken over our American language: the use of "like" in all kinds of contexts.. such as: "When I saw her, I went like 'WOW'!" or "He was like 'Lend me some money.'" You get the idea. What ever happened to the word "said"?



Is this just a young people phenomenon? When I overhear teen-agers talking to each other, the "like's" flow like water between them. I guess I'm just an old man and set in my ways about language. But couldn't young folks pick some other, more colorful way of talking. Such as, for example: "When I observed her beauty, I was overwhelmed and uttered the popular phrase 'WOW'." (I know, this sounds even dumber than the "like" example.)

We don't want to get as "hung up" on proper English as the French do with their language. (They are mad with their leader right now about his use of slang. But, after all, he does spend his summers in the US in New Hampshire, I believe.) But... we don't want to abandon proper English altogether.

George Bernard Shaw said that English hasn't been spoken in America for generations. However, as a "melting pot" we have a constant rich supply of words from other languages and slangs. And, as I mentioned in an earlier blog, people come to America speaking only their native language.. and shortly later, their children are speaking English like all of their neighbors, including all the slang, and overused words. So I guess I shouldn't get excited by the overuse of words like "like" (!)

Shakespeare had a great way of saying things. For instance, instead of saying: "Tomorrow I think I'll get up a little early to get some important things done." .. he said: "The sun shall not be up so soon as I, to test the fair adventure of the day!" Now, isn't that better?

Mr. Shakespeare is probably rolling over in his grave when he hears the way the language has changed in 500 years, and maybe he might suggest that we use the word "like" a little less.