I write about writing, meaning I write about words. Today, I’m going to write about words we speak. Specifically, words we shouldn’t speak. No, I don’t mean profanity. I mean useless filler words.

Ya know what I mean?

We all know which of our friends, family or co-workers cannot utter a sentence without inserting some useless phrase. Yet most of us are unaware when verbal bad habits creep into our own conversation.

For most, it’s an unconscious habit. When the filler phrase doesn’t make sense, the speaker is probably unaware they even uttered it. Consider the common verbal tics ya know and, worse, ya know what I mean?

Let’s get a burger, ya know what I mean?

I was watching TV last night, ya know what I mean?

Read those over again. They don’t make the speaker sound too intelligent, do they? If you’re trying to make a good impression, socially or professional, verbal tics such as these will not help your cause.

I know a woman who peppers her sentences with and stuff — but not in ways that make sense. I had to fill up on gas and stuff. We had lunch and stuff. I filled out the form and stuff. It’s a habit that could have people thinking she can’t think clearly, she isn’t paying attention to what she’s saying, or her vocabulary is too limited to provide details.

Current Catch Phrases

Eons ago, during Jon Lovitz’s run on Saturday Night Live, I worked in cubicle-ville much too near a co-worker who said “Yeah! That’s the ticket!” dozens of times a day, nay, dozens of time an hour. It might  have been funny (or at least tolerable) if he used it twice a week, and when it was pertinent. Nope, he just used it constantly and in a fake, oily Jon Lovitz voice.

If you’re making this mistake, you are doing it consciously. My advice: Stop it now! Use catch phrases in inverse proportion to how current they are. Today, saying “That’s the ticket!” would probably get you a laugh from SNL fans (although not from me; it still makes me slightly queasy).

So….

My bad habit is ending sentences with so… such as Yeah, I think they serve the best burgers, so…. I have no “so” piece of information to add, my sentence just trails off. It makes me sound befuddled, as if I can’t complete the thought. I can complete a thought, I just have no particular thought in mind when I say so…. ” which makes me seem even more befuddled.

Fortunately, I know I do it, which will make it easier for me to kill the habit. When I’m meeting with current clients, potential clients, friends and family, I want to speak in ways that speak well of me.