Posted on 06/11/2011 7:22:50 AM PDT by Kaslin
An outstanding article. Thank you.
infantilizing goes hand in hand with feminization of the culture in order to create a climate for endless “nurturing” by the state.
you’re welcome
This is an excellent article, but I do have one comment on “like”.
“Like” coveys an attitude, emotion or feeling. It’s not something that’s verbally stated or a conscious thought, so the phrases “I said” or “I thought” are not accurate.
“Suzie was so mean to Tammy. I was like, ‘what a brat!’”
Suzie was mean to Tammy and the observer felt hostility toward Suzie. The conscious thought, “what a brat” came later.
I believe that the reason this particular grammatical device took off so well is that it actually filled a gap in the English language. Many times in our daily lives, we feel responses, but don’t take the time to quantify those emotions until later. “Like” accurately describes these situations. Yes, the word “like” literally means, “similar to;” but in a way, that actually is MORE accurate. She didn’t say or think, “what a brat.” She *felt* an attitude similar to the phrase. It helps us to more accurately define complex emotions and vague feelings.
Over the years I’ve tried to come up with something that works as well to take the place of “like” (I hate it as much as the next person) and I just can’t do it. There simply is no better way to express those situations. Now that it’s so entrenched in our lexicon, I do believe that “like” is here to stay.
—bflr—
Like many here at FR over 30, by the time I was 18 I taking care of my own life, had my own apartment, got myself into college, studied and took and passed my tests, learned the practical implications of using proper English, etc.
By the time I graduated from College, 3 years later, I had a job and my own apartment — decorated in College Student Cool: milk carton shelves, spool dinner table, garage sale bed and sofa. But I bought or acquired those on my own.
The idea of asking Mommy or Daddy to do anything other than let me stop by to use the washing machine once a month or so never even occurred to me.
Now, they stay on Mommy/Daddy’s health insurance into their late 20s. And Mommy/Daddy get involved in the work life and the rest of their life.
I’ve chosen to entertain myself by filling in an unspoken “unto” after yet another inane blurting of “like.” Gives it a dignified, King James air that is really hilarious coming out of some vapid teen (or adult).
There are archaic and dialectical usages that are somewhat akin, too. Here in NC, in the Scotch-Irish dialect, one will often hear “I liked to ...” as in “When I heard that I liked to died.” Liked to have. Like unto.
It’s good for a quiet giggle or two at least. Try it the next time you hear it. It’s better than gritting your teeth.
>>“Suzie was so mean to Tammy. I was like, ‘what a brat!’”<<
I disagree. In the context you provide, the word “I was, like” is simply a lazy substitution for the phrase “I said.” I have never heard it used as a substitution for a line of thought — it is invariably used to self-quote.
That's just simply not true. I just finished raising one teenager and still have one in the house. With the dozens of kids who came through my house over the years, I have *never* heard "like" used as a substitution for "I said." Not once.
When the phase first came around in the mid-80's, it was used in place of "I said", but it very quickly developed into a way to express an attitude, feeling or emotion and has been used that way since.
My employer sent out notices on how adult “children” can qualify for the company health insurance, even if they were employed, married, or had children of their own. Yet all three conditions are a sign of at least adulthood, if not maturity.
Remember our Ford loves infants.
I do that all the time now, RC. People stare sometimes, but I’m like unto being, “Whatever.”
It is substituted for "I said" in over half the instances I hear it.
When the phase first came around in the mid-80's, it was used in place of "I said", but it very quickly developed into a way to express an attitude, feeling or emotion and has been used that way since.
I have observed the same metamorphosis, but in this context "like" simply replaced "I thought" or "I felt" -- ordinary expressions that English-speaking people have adequately and accurately communicated for many generations.
An apt summation of Solway's brilliant article. Thanks, Kaslin.
That’s like unto hilarious.
In my exposure, “I was like” expresses a thought, emotion or words one would have liked to have said at the time. Words actually said have been indicated by “I go.”
A typical exchange would be: “And I go, ‘no way’ and she goes ‘yes, way,’ and I go ‘omigod.’ I was like that is so nasty.”
By the the way, did you notice that, ironically, there is very basic grammar error in the sentence in the first paragraph that begins “This is a generation...”?
Excellent article. Thank you.
Now that you point it out, I has.
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