We all rely on certain words and phrases to fill in conversations - the useless "so" and "yeah". I've been in the habit of saying "all such as that." And sometimes you can't help but pick up on these sorts of phrases that other people use - especially, say, at work where you talk to the same people over and over again, day-in and day-out, about the same sorts of things.
Growing up, we had this book in which Grover from Sesame Street attempted to play hide-and-seek with you using the book. And he tore the pages and tried to hide in the binding. And on one page, he tried to fill up the white space speech bubbles with words like peanut butter and jelly and ladybug and rubber baby buggy bumpers and hide behind them.
At times, I feel like the office is like that - there are these speech bubbles floating around the office filled with phrases that get repeated over and over again. Sailing just over your head are "You know what I mean?" and "If I were you" and "There needs to be a protocol." These verbal tics are funny at times; but some days, they make you want to claw your ears off. One more "Here's the thing, guys" or "typically" overheard from the office next door - or worse, said from across your desk - and it's going to be a bad scene. And unfortunately for you and Grover, no matter how many of these little bubbles are floating around, there's no place to hide.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Words Words Words
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5 cat calls:
I would like to add "at this juncture" to the list of offensive bubbles.
I LOVED that book! and I know exactly what you are talking about. Once you notice the repetition, it will just continue to grate on you at the mere thought of the phrase being uttered. I'm like that with myself, too, when I notice something I say all the time. I pick on Tyler or Greg about words they use religiously and then there's the aerobics instructors that I just want to smack if they say, "that's it, that's it" or "how you doing? make some noise" one more time! One good thing about those, though, is it really gets you moving, taking out the aggression of the offending phrases.
And just a note that my word verification is: ysogod -- sounds like a license tag
I don't know this book, but I feel like I must hunt it down for K.Lo. I love Grover.
I know we all do it, but ugggh, sometimes that's all you can hear. YouknowwhatImean?
I would like to nominate "the reality is" as somebody's way of telling you that you're wrong. In reality. Ugh!
Typically, Ashley, I have zero problem with repeating the same phrases over and over. Frankly, if I were you, I would try to just get used to it because its not going to stop. Here's the thing: we need to follow strict protocol, especially because the client is always wrong. You know what I mean?
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