no, why use many words when few do trick

The Title should be “Do You Use Filler Words?” not “Do You Needlessly Use Filler Words?”. At least I really, really, really think so. /s

Yes. I stick “honestly” in too many places, and just have a big issue always feeling like I need to qualify everything.

I mean… For real, yeah, I guess, kinda lowkey.

Usually meant to increase the degree to which I’m being absurd or facetious. It’s a manner of showing contempt for the thing I’m describing. I use it to joke more than with actual dialog.

But “kinda” probably happens in my daily vocabulary to such a degree that I’m unaware how much I use it. So, despite using this sort of word deliberately in certain situations, I’m also very guilty of using it everywhere else.

“Y’know what I mean?” or “Y’know what I’m saying?” is a common one. I was watching a high school football player on the news the other day, and he said “You know what I’m saying” a dozen times in his 30 second statement. He would use it multiple times in the same sentence: “We’re just going to keep doing what we’ve been doing, y’know what I mean, executing the fundamentals, y’know what I mean, keeping the defense pressuring their quarterback, y’know what I mean, and we’ll come out on top, y’know what I mean?” No exaggeration.

My sister-in-law went through a period where she said “…and stuff” at the end of every sentence for a while.

I once met a weird religious freak who started EVERY sentence with “It is written…” That was a weird one to try to have a conversation with. She would say it so fast, I couldn’t even figure it out for a minute, then I got it. Every sentence started with that. Very strange mental quirk.

What the actual fuck? Literally.

Yes I use needless filler words, but i use them because I need them ;)

Low key is a really egregious one though because it is not designed to be a filler word. The thing about filler words is that every adverb is a filler word, as neuroneiro points out. Using them less makes you sound confident and precise. Sometimes they are useful or necessary. But by definition - a filler word. It is likely our overuse of adverts which trains us to use filler words like sort of, low key, kind of

Er, no.

Do you needlessly use filler words?

Uhhh idk like um maybe

I like the extra verbosity. When used in moderation anyway. A little bit of seasoning for my sentences.

Why use more word when less word work

Filler words carry meaning, even if they don’t have specific definitions in context. Like, “like” has a dictionary definition, but if you use it as, like, a filler word, you aren’t using that definition (necessarily), but it still conveys something about how the speaker is thinking. They don’t just pop up in speech at random. I like catching them and trying to interpret why speakers insert them where they do.

Like, “lowkey” is usually* sometimes used to soften harsh language e.g. “I’m lowkey gonna murder Sarah if she doesn’t stop chewing her gum with her mouth open”. Kinda how “kinda” works as a filler to tone down whatever is being said. I don’t actually want to murder Sarah, I just kinda want to murder her. I don’t even know if I would call them “proper filler words” in the same sense that “like” is, since they do have a particular function that “like” as a filler lacks. More research is needed it seems.

For me, I let 'em fly. If I had to deliver a speech I would probably include fewer than I usually use in casual conversation, but I don’t hold with the rule that they’re strictly to be avoided. I think they’re neat.

* edit: I just know how I’ve heard it used, I have no idea how it’s usually used. I’m lowkey not in the lowkey demographic.

I’m ready for people to move on from describing 85% of things as “unhinged”.