LIKE

An examination of the place of “like” in American English.

For many, hearing a conversation peppered with the word “like” conjures an image of stereotypical teenage girls from the 1980s San Fernando Valley known as Valley Girls, a subculture often characterized as being less than intelligent. Some prescriptivists go so far as viewing the word’s usage as a sign of society’s decline. However, cultural writer Reynolds contends, “when a single word is so useful, so beautifully flexible, and does so much with so very little, it seems illogical and short-sighted to disregard its importance.” Despite second-guessing her own language choices in this context, Reynolds smartly and lightheartedly shares various scenarios in which she feels using the word “like” in conversation offers an advantage. As she suggests, “like” is a great alternative to “said” when recounting to a friend how an incident made one feel. “And then I was like….” The ability to use “like” in this context “has fundamentally changed the way we tell stories.” As Reynolds explains, when feelings are the focus, “we no longer have to recite (or remember) precisely what was said.” The word can also serve as a filler when a speaker needs a brief moment to gather his or her thoughts. “Well, like, I just, I’m not, like, sure….” The word can also serve as an intensifier. “I have, like, one zillion things to do.” Finally, Reynolds suggests that “like” can even be used as a full sentence when seeking emotional validation. “Like…!” She concludes, “Making a case for ‘like’s’ validity is making a case for progress—or for at least understanding that progress and change are not necessarily the enemy.”

Convincing evidence for offering “like” another chance in the American English vernacular.