Rufus T. Firefly wrote:MurphOnMillerAve wrote:When professional athletes are interviewed,
are they able to speak without saying "You know" after every 3-4 words or at the close of every sentence? Are all the "You knows" self-inserted to give themselves time to think? Yet, they have such quick minds in their respective sports. I'm confused. Ya' know.
I do not believe that the use of "You know"after every 3-4 words or at the close of every sentence is limited to much of the population as a whole - seems to be a very common failing....
And, you know that you know what you know that you know; know what I mean?
Oh, I be knowin' .
Yes, I agree with you, Rufus, about the use of "You know" isn't limited to professional athletes, nor is it characteristic of all of them, as Wayne pointed out. O' course, my criticism is not leveled at
all professional athletes. However, I do take notice of which of them do appear to have a propensity for using "you know", sometimes after every few words. Constantly. It's like they are so paralyzed when asked to string their thoughts into coherent lines, they get
intellectually challenged by it, so they have to give themselves little articulation breaks to compose themselves while using language.
Sure, their salaries are examples to everyone, particularly the young impressionable minds among us,
of what the society values, and apparently it is the skilled use of trained skeletal muscles. Skilled us of language to express oneself succinctly (time on TV in an interview, I assume, is precious) is not valued. Using "the club" lingo seems to be.
I might add that use of "you know" certainly isn't exclusive to sports. For example, yesterday, I watched a special on TV, "
Space's Deepest Secrets." Interviews of scientists were featured heavily to aid in the explanation of such wonders as Jupiter's newly discovered moon, Enceladus," with the news of its effusion of material at its south pole, as well as other marvels like the estimated 14million galaxies that have been concluded to exist. (Did you know Saturn has
62 moons (53 named; 9 being studied)!!!? When did that become known?! It sure isn't listed in the astronomy books I have saved from my childhood - time to discard!)
One of the
astrobiologists, Carolyn Porco, giving explanation and evidence of the most recent discoveries in the Universe, pimpled her monologue with
You knows. I was disappointed by the weakness of such speaking.
No, my dear, we do not KNOW what you are teaching us, which is why we are watching you explain it to us. Frequently including "you know" in your explanations is no help whatsoever. Frankly, I was embarrassed for her, as I am for the athletes who don't seem to be able to speak without their frequent use of their little helpers.
Watch for it, good people; you may agree with me about the self-embarrassing weakness of it.
If not. I am open to receiving a good scolding.
Murph
