it drives me mad why do they repeat it constantly
2006-10-24 05:29:22 · 29 answers · asked by wozza.lad 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
A lot of people in the UK say "know what I mean" and use the word "basically" a great deal. I am not a perfect speaker or writer of English, but it clearly demostrates how the languages have developed and detirioated with senseless sayings.
2006-10-24 05:42:01 · answer #1 · answered by D 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
In Linguistics, we call this a 'tag question' or 'hedging', it is usually used when the speaker is not 100% confident in what they are saying and need responsive back up (back channel support) from the person they are talking to. Either that or they are simply providing the other person in the conversation a way to enter into the dialogue.
Oh and by the way, to the 1st answerer (Jonjon or something like that!), you have provided a good example of an oxymoron for us all, by saying "too many Method Man videos" coz there could never be 'too many Meff videos', ever! No'm'sayin?
2006-10-24 12:46:26 · answer #2 · answered by Tatsbabe 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As the other chap above said, like us Brits keep saying you know or you know what i mean. The answer is rather quite simple the persons that come out with these silly phrases have a very limited vocabulary, and cannot think of original words to utter. Also for the same reason why there is more foul language in conversation.
2006-10-24 12:50:41 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Surely it's not only Americans who do this? Some British people have equally annoying habits such as "na'wh' I mean" (difficult to spell!) or "innit". People with more elaborate vocabularies don't use these constructions very often.
2006-10-24 12:39:30 · answer #4 · answered by Rozzy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The same as most English kids say either "Yu'know" or "Knowoteyemin" at the end of every phrase or sentence.
2006-10-24 13:01:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
we do it out of bad habit, we do it to confirm that the other person is listening and that they understand what we are saying...why do non-Americans Germans and such always say "i did" for examlpe: i would say- i went to the store today- a non American would say i did go to the store today...its just the way people speak....Americans use a lot of slang and repetitive words out of habit because we hardly ever just use proper English...know what I'm sayin?
2006-10-24 12:46:07 · answer #6 · answered by ELIZY 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I never thought I'd defend the USA. Yu what?
Yu know. Know wot I mean? We all do it. German speaking Swiss often end a statement with Oder? which means or?
We get used to our own language tics. Word of warning - don't start to notice them in^the UK, it'll drive you insane, know what I mean?
2006-10-24 12:59:45 · answer #7 · answered by cymry3jones 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have no idea what you are talking about, I'm an American and I don't finish a sentence with "know what i am saying?".
Oh No... I just did..
2006-10-24 12:39:00 · answer #8 · answered by David 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
That's a Slang expression..mostly said by African Americans Meaning ..do you understand ,,
2006-10-24 12:32:26 · answer #9 · answered by babo1dm 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Same reason as English people keep saying "you know". It means their mouths can go onto automatic pilot while they think about what to say next.
2006-10-24 12:31:56 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋