How did the simple word "like" become one of the most common used words in the English language?

Question

You probably use the word "like" much more times that you think. "Like" is probably one of the most common used word.

But the question is, how did it's meaning "with the same characterisitcs" and "to have a kind or friendly feeling" turn into a word that is used in almost every sentence? For example:

"Becuase, like, he always wants to get good responses"
or
"GIve me a sentence with the word "fun" in it, like 'I had fun with him'"

Answer 1

Many languages have lexical gaps in them and look for words to emerge to take their place. Think about it, we have a word for the 80's, 90's and now for the years 2000-2010, what will we call that? Sometimes we make up new words, other times we keep it fairly simple and recycle words. Evolution of the language...

Answer 2

Like you know it like you know it sorta just like you know happened I guess.

But I agree with you and it bothers the hell out of me. You're not adding anything to the sentence by using those words so why use them? I learned very early to actually listen to myself when speaking and was able to rid myself of the rather annoying habit of saying, "Uhmmm..." whenever I was searching for a word or something.

Answer 3

I guess one of the reasons is singers are usually speaking "like". Just hear an interview with the "Boss". Or with Dido, ... or with Mark Knopfler???.....

Singers usually are creating words, lyrics, songs, arranging, harmonizing and so on. So deep in their creation that when it comes to real world of interviews they can't avoid recurring to such "helps".

Answer 4

Because English isn't that rich in words and uses the same word, sometimes, to describe different things.

Answer 5

We can blame it on the teen crowd, iPods, and text messages, but this aberrant use has been with us as long as teenagers have been around.

Don't forget the word, OK. Okay?

Answer 6

the top most used words in the world in all different languages, are wal-mart, mcdonalds, and yes

Answer 7

Because "like" has become an emphatic particle. That is, it marks something in a sentence for emphasis. Another usage is as a quotative. Here are some examples:

John likes apples (verb)
John's alarm clock is like Big Ben (preposition)
John is, like, so bored (emphatic, emphasis on "so bored")
Mary kisses John and John is like, "I'm so in love with Mary." (quotative)

The emphatic usage derives from the simple preposition:

John's watch is like Big Ben (Big Ben is the focus of the sentence in the prepositional phrase in last position)
John's watch is, like, Big Ben (Big Ben is still the focus, but it is no longer in a prepositional phrase, but the predicate nominal with "like" being a marker of emphasis)

Now that "like" is no longer a preposition and tied to a single type of sentence, it can move around to mark other parts of the sentence for emphasis, although it's primary usage is still to mark focus elements (the final elements in a sentence).

John, like, runs across the field (emphasis on "runs")
Like, Mary is someone special (emphasis on whole sentence)

This usage as an emphatic marker of focus expanded to include marking specific types of quotations.

John, like, says to Mary, "I love you." (emphatic)
John says, like, "I love you." (emphatic)
John is like, "I love Mary." (quotative)

LATER EDIT: And if you listen carefully to normal speech, you will see that there is only ONE "like" per main verb. Sentences such as "Like, Mary was, like, angry, like, at John" just don't occur. "Like" emphasizes one element in a main clause.

Answer 8

all i no is that the word" the" is the top most common word we use

Answer 9

Life
Is
Knowledge
Exlemplified

nuff said

Answer 10

Like why??? Who cares,thats what makes the world beautiful! cuz everybodys diffrent.