Like, I’mlike gonna like Like, I’mlike gonna like learn how to like talk.learn how to like talk.

From From A Grammar Book for You and MeA Grammar Book for You and Me

by C. Edward Goodby C. Edward Good

Pair SharePair Share

Turn to a neighbor, and make a list of all Turn to a neighbor, and make a list of all the ways we use “like” in our everyday the ways we use “like” in our everyday communication.communication.

Like, what parts of speech can “like” Like, what parts of speech can “like” function as?function as?

GO! You have 3 minutes to talk.GO! You have 3 minutes to talk.

Taylor Mali: “Like Lilly Like Wilson”Taylor Mali: “Like Lilly Like Wilson”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tshNfYWPlDg

TobelikeTobelike

““tobelike” (to be like): new verb devised tobelike” (to be like): new verb devised by young people—but used by everyone—by young people—but used by everyone—that substitutes for “thought”that substitutes for “thought”

Instead of: I Instead of: I thoughtthought, “Man, that exam , “Man, that exam sucked.”sucked.”

We say/hear: I We say/hear: I was likewas like, “Man, that exam , “Man, that exam sucked.”sucked.”

Conjugation of Conjugation of tobeliketobelike

Present tense: I’mlike (I’m like)Present tense: I’mlike (I’m like)

Past tense: Iwaslike (I was like)Past tense: Iwaslike (I was like)

Future tense: I’llbelike (I’ll be like)Future tense: I’llbelike (I’ll be like)

The meaning isn’t totally lost, right?The meaning isn’t totally lost, right?

Usually people use Usually people use tobeliketobelike to introduce something they to introduce something they said or thought.said or thought.

I’m like, “Hello!?! Could you park any closer to my car?! I’m like, “Hello!?! Could you park any closer to my car?! Idiot.”Idiot.”

I was like, “What a moron—talking on his cell phone, I was like, “What a moron—talking on his cell phone, picking his nose, and driving at the same time.”picking his nose, and driving at the same time.”

I’ll be like, “Whatever, skeezeball. What goes around I’ll be like, “Whatever, skeezeball. What goes around comes around.”comes around.”

But …But … Our meaning isn’t always so clear, when Our meaning isn’t always so clear, when tobeliketobelike

and and likelike begin to pervade our speech. begin to pervade our speech.

Consider the following conversation:Consider the following conversation: Bob: I’mlike up to here.Bob: I’mlike up to here. Sue: Like yeah.Sue: Like yeah. Bob: Like yesterday waslike, Ugh!Bob: Like yesterday waslike, Ugh! Sue: I’mlike, oh well, you know.Sue: I’mlike, oh well, you know.

It might be difficult to understand what Bob and It might be difficult to understand what Bob and Sue are talking about without some non-verbal Sue are talking about without some non-verbal cues (hand gestures, facial expressions)cues (hand gestures, facial expressions)

If that’s how we talk, what happens If that’s how we talk, what happens to our writing?to our writing?

According to C. Edward Good …According to C. Edward Good … ““If people talk this way, quite likely they will If people talk this way, quite likely they will

find writing even more difficult.”find writing even more difficult.” ““People with the People with the likelike habit overuse the verb habit overuse the verb to to

bebe in their writing. They simply cannot write a in their writing. They simply cannot write a sentence without saying ‘something sentence without saying ‘something isis this’ or this’ or ‘something ‘something waswas that.’” that.’”

Side note:Side note: To beTo be is not a strong verb. It’s boring; it makes your is not a strong verb. It’s boring; it makes your

writing boring. Try to avoid it when possible, and instead writing boring. Try to avoid it when possible, and instead use verbs that actually depict your meaning.use verbs that actually depict your meaning.

Instead of:Instead of: There There areare only a few students who applied for scholarships. only a few students who applied for scholarships. The committee The committee waswas unanimous in selecting the finalists. unanimous in selecting the finalists. The teacher The teacher waswas hesitant. hesitant.

Try these:Try these: Only a few students applied for scholarships.Only a few students applied for scholarships. The committee unanimously selected the finalists.The committee unanimously selected the finalists. The teacher hesitated.The teacher hesitated.

So, how is So, how is likelike supposedsupposed to to be used??!?!?!be used??!?!?!

Like Like as a Verbas a Verb

I I likelike KFC’s buttermilk biscuits. KFC’s buttermilk biscuits.

My brother My brother likeslikes Shooter Jennings. Shooter Jennings.

My cat Sal My cat Sal likeslikes to jump on countertops, to jump on countertops, and I and I likelike to spray her with water when to spray her with water when she does this.she does this.

LikeLike as Preposition = “similar to” as Preposition = “similar to”

Hint: it hooks nouns to sentences and shows Hint: it hooks nouns to sentences and shows similarity.similarity. She runs She runs likelike the wind. the wind. He was He was likelike a brother to me. a brother to me.

But look out!But look out! According to Good, “Virtually everyone addicted to According to Good, “Virtually everyone addicted to likelike

uses it to show not what something uses it to show not what something is likeis like but what but what something actually something actually isis. They use it to show identity (is), . They use it to show identity (is), not similarity (like).not similarity (like). He’s He’s likelike tall. Huh? tall. Huh?

LikeLike as a Noun as a Noun

I have many I have many likeslikes and dislikes. and dislikes. One of my One of my likeslikes is walking in the rain. is walking in the rain.

Like Like as an Adjective = “similar”as an Adjective = “similar”

She has mastered lacrosse, field hockey, She has mastered lacrosse, field hockey, and and likelike sports. sports.

LikeLike as a Conjunction as a Conjunction

Hint: Hint: It means “in the same way as” or “as if”It means “in the same way as” or “as if” It connects It connects independent clausesindependent clauses

Many shoppers study the food ads Many shoppers study the food ads likelike brokers brokers study market reports.study market reports.

It looks It looks likelike it will rain. it will rain.

I need a new car I need a new car likelike I need a hole in the head. I need a hole in the head.

Here’s a thought to brighten your Here’s a thought to brighten your day …day …

Since the 1980s, Since the 1980s, be likebe like is also a juvenile is also a juvenile colloquialism equivalent to colloquialism equivalent to saidsaid in relating in relating a conversation—e.g. “And I was like, ‘Yes, a conversation—e.g. “And I was like, ‘Yes, I do.’ But he was like, ‘No you don’t.’ And I do.’ But he was like, ‘No you don’t.’ And so I was like, ‘If you’re just going to so I was like, ‘If you’re just going to contradict me, then …’” In teenagers, this contradict me, then …’” In teenagers, this usage is all but ubiquitous. In adults, it usage is all but ubiquitous. In adults, it shows arrested development.shows arrested development.

-Garner Oxford p. -Garner Oxford p. 212212

Taylor Mali: “Like, you know?”Taylor Mali: “Like, you know?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCNIBV87wV4&feature=related