Just discovered this site…cool. What is going on with the construction:
I was like "You have to be kidding!". Where "I was like" (he, she etc. was like) is used as a quotative. Is this just now taking over the world of English? or have I been asleep for 20 years?
???
It’s not just like. I’m all is another quoative expression.
Olowkow is all “What’s this”, and I’m like, you know, “It’s what is”.
I don’t think its been twenty years. My daughter ( 28 ) and friends did not use these in high school and don’t now. My son (22) and friends have used these extensively.
I don’t recall hippies and beats using like in quite this form.
The Beatnik interphrasal "like" was used quite differently from present-day "like". From my observations of modern teen-speak, the "I’m like" is often used as a replacement for "my reply was" or "my reaction was".
He asked me to go to the movies with him, and I’m like no way.
The Beatnik "like" was more used before an adjective or occasionally a verb.
‘It was like cool, man.’ or ‘Went to the Love In. It was like wow, man, like heavy.’ or ‘Are you like looking to score?"
As you can see, quite different.
I’ve been reading dire articles written by mossy sophists about the impending demise of the English language ever since I could read.
Perhaps this all stems from hoary old English teachers insisting that students avoid repeating the same tired old verbs all the time, specifically, "said" in this case. Remember those teachers who had posters all over the room suggesting, thesaurus-like, creative choices for everyday verbs and adjectives, big, good, run, say, walk, etc.
"I’m like…" etc. remind me of my own usage of "I go…" instead of "I said…." It took me years to stop using "go" for "said."
This connection would be hard to prove, but by all means possible, we need to blame this on English teachers.
[quote author=rosewoman link=board=grammar;num=1058382801;start=0#5 date=10/07/03 at 11:32:02][center]...[/center] This connection would be hard to prove, but by all means possible, we need to blame this on English teachers.
Can we blame them as well for constructions of the type «I’m like so into this !», heard yesterday on a commercial channel while zapping through the offerings on the idiot box, by your ever faithful ?...
[quote author=M._Henri_Day link=board=grammar;num=1058382801;start=0#6 date=10/07/03 at 13:07:48]
Can we blame them as well for constructions of the type «I’m like so into this !», heard yesterday on a commercial channel while zapping through the offerings on the idiot box, by your ever faithful ?...
Henri
We can blame them for anything we like, I’m sure. Not that it helps much. I tend to cut teachers a little slack, though. There but for the Grace of God….
I’m sure Rosewoman’s right about the vocabulary-building thing. My English teacher adamantly refused to allow "lots of", "said", "little" or "big" and used the traditional English pedagogical approach, dire threats of bodily harm, to foster a greater degree of creativity.
Personally, I’m like all over new vernacular. The difference between yours truly and the tongue-tied 7th-grader is that I understand something about what’s going on linguistically, while the urchin probably doesn’t. My point is, perhaps we shouldn’t be admonishing as much as informing.
According to many sociolinguists, Basic Bernstein for one, finding the right linguistic code for the right situation is one of the keys to success in later life. It’s really the same with swearing. I’m all for it in some situations; in others, not.
I seem to remember, as this usage was developing, that people would often mock, mimic, or at least imitate the person in question for effect.
She was like, O God! said while rolling the eyes, for example.
The difference between that and just she said… was that the speaker was trying to convey more than just the words—the whole feeling or demeanor.
So using like was a marker for more than just quotation, rather imitation. Over time, the extra requirements for imitation got lost.
These days :o, we’re more used to writing with smileys :P, which convey some sense of feeling in addition to the words.
Perhaps a backpropagation into speech—needing to insert a smiley while having a conversation—helped push this usage of like even further.
The emergence of online gaming, as well, might have had an influence. It happens more and more that we engage in expression with indirect agency, through instant messaging, virtual avatars, etc.
I’m like hoping this makes at least a little sense…
[quote author=chmism link=board=grammar;num=1058382801;start=0#9 date=10/07/03 at 15:26:50]I seem to remember, as this usage was developing, that people would often mock, mimic, or at least imitate the person in question for effect.
She was like, O God! said while rolling the eyes, for example.
The difference between that and just she said… was that the speaker was trying to convey more than just the words—the whole feeling or demeanor.
So using like was a marker for more than just quotation, rather imitation. Over time, the extra requirements for imitation got lost.[center]...[/center]
Chris, I think, is like so into something here ! Welcome aboard and keep providing those insights !...
So using like was a marker for more than just quotation, rather imitation. Over time, the extra requirements for imitation got lost.
So, if one were to modify current speach patterns with colloquialisms from another era, one might substitute like in this circumstance with something akin to, perhaps to humorous effect?
The scene:
19th-Century Victorian England
The Characters:
Elizabeth - The Lady of the House
Richard - The Gentleman of the House
Mary - Elizabeth’s bosom friend
Elizabeth: "Richard, did I, perchance, recall the scene yesterday, in the garden, whilst Mary and I were at tea?"
Richard: "I don’t remember our having discussed the situation. Do tell!"
Elizabeth: "Yes, of course! It would appear that my bosom friend Mary has been keeping secrets! I discovered a gentleman caller leaving her premises recently! When I broached the subject with her yesterday, she was something akin to, ‘I shall not submit myself to such horrid talk!’, upon which she burst from her seat and ran with tear-filled eyes from my garden."
Richard: "Oh, Elizabeth, don’t tell me you made Mary cry again."
one might substitute like in this circumstance with something akin to
Excellent, Tim. Or:
[Scene: A small tent outside Hastings. It’s 1066 or thereabouts.]
Doris: Well, I told him what I thought about the armor right away. Try that again and it’s mace.
Beryl: Oh, you poor dear.
Doris: [sniffs] Yes, and then I’m akin to "Harry, you weren’t at all like this when we first met. You promised me a share of your kingdom and all I see is this nasty tent thing. Plus we’ve been on the road all day from East Anglia."
Beryl: Yes, I’m akin to being tired from the journey, too.
Harold: Foresooth. OK, threesooth. I’m akin to being rather sick of your bitchin’, wenches. I’m fixing to get an eyeful of that nasty intruder, William.
Doris: What’s he like?
Beryl: Like?
Doris: Yeah, like is he a dish?
Harold: Belay that. [He mistakenly thinks it’s ‘talk like a pirate’-day, several centuries before its time.] I’m akin to getting really pissed off. First off, the women of Bayeux have already dissed me with that bad wrap. Secondly, Bill the Backstabber has invaded my southern flank, and anyone who’s done time knows what that means. I’m akin to throwing a wobbly.
Doris: Don’t throw it at me.
Beryl: Me. Me.
Harold: I’ve an eye for the main chance here and I’m akin to ready.
[ring ring]
Doris: There’s someone on the cellphone. Should I be like, piss off and do your survey somewhere else, asswipe?
