“And I was like?”

[91104]

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that a vast section of society now seem unable to have a conversation without saying the phrase “and I was like” several times. What does this phrase even mean and how did it come to be such a big part of the British vocabulary?

 

[martin2345uk]

Language evolves, and this has evolved to mean "I said". I admit I say it all the time, can't really remember when or why I started, but it now comes much more naturally to me than "I said" when I'm telling a story. Maybe it's come from the US..?

 

[Gloster]

I think it has two meanings depending on context. Either ‘I was shocked, surprised or gobsmacked by something’ that had been said or occurred. Alternatively it could be ‘I was occupied with or doing something’ when… I suspect that, like all too much slang nowadays, it comes from some American or pseudo-American TV series or film. Written by someone in their sixties who speaks proper English, dammit.

 

[DarloRich]

an I turned round and a ses to im a ses looka bonny lad dis yas want some div yas? an he ses to me.........

 

[AlterEgo]

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that a vast section of society now seem unable to have a conversation without saying the phrase “and I was like” several times. What does this phrase even mean and how did it come to be such a big part of the British vocabulary?

It usually means someone is quoting themselves, sometimes in a theatrical, exaggerated, or otherwise less than exact way. Surprising to read that such a popular vernacular phrase is misunderstood!

 

[oldman]

Expert opinion (i.e. the first thing I found) dates it to the early 1980s, but it only became widespread later.

As punctuation it goes back further though Frank and Moon Unit Zappa's Valley Girl is blamed for spreading it:

So, like
I go into this, like, salon place, y'know
And I wanted, like, to get my toenails done
And the lady, like, goes
"Oh, my god, your toenails are, like, so grody"
It was, like, really embarrassing

It usually means someone is quoting themselves

or it can be used about someone else - they were like. Often it is the words someone might have used to express their feelings, but possibly didn't.

 

[Huntergreed]

This opens a really interesting conversation surrounding linguistics and how this changes through generations.

I am finding that many young people in the UK are increasing the amount of ‘Americanised’ vocabulary in their ‘diet’ of language.

I mainly attribute this to a massively increased exposure to American media (the majority of which is not traditional media, but rather social media such as Tik Tok, YouTube Shorts etc…)

I work in a school so interact with young people regularly and here are some of the more interesting trends I’ve noticed recently:

- The word ‘like’ being used as a speech disfluency in the British lexicon (traditionally a very American habit: “And I was like, OMG like, how could you do that like…”
- The term ‘math’ being used over maths
- American slang (cool, awesome etc…) being used far more often

The fact “and I was like” is increasing in use is not hugely surprising considering that many young people are being exposed to US social media (including language used by young people in the US) far more than ever before.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

This opens a really interesting conversation surrounding linguistics and how this changes through generations.
I am finding that many young people in the UK are increasing the amount of ‘Americanised’ vocabulary in their ‘diet’ of language.
I mainly attribute this to a massively increased exposure to American media (the majority of which is not traditional media, but rather social media such as Tik Tok, YouTube Shorts etc…)

That is my opinion too. Language evolves as does idiom. It used to pig me off but now I just don't worry about it anymore. I could "of" rather than I could have still annoys me though. The use of the phrase "Date night" seems to have massively increased in the UK and Ireland too.

 

[londonbridge]

Whilst I, you know, appreciate that, you know, language evolves, I’m absolutely sick and tired of, you know, people who can’t, you know, hold a conversation without, you know, saying “you know” every few seconds, you know what I mean??

 

[3141]

Language evolves, and this has evolved to mean "I said". I admit I say it all the time, can't really remember when or why I started, but it now comes much more naturally to me than "I said" when I'm telling a story. Maybe it's come from the US..?

Though why language evolves so that people use four words instead of two is a bit of a mystery.

In London, and maybe elsewhere, it was widespread to say "he goes" in place of "he said", though this seems less common nowadays. Perhaps "and I was like" will be replaced in turn by something different.

My pet hates include the use of "of" instead of "have", and "gonna" for "going to". "Gonna" is definitely American in origin, whereas "of" is just sloppy.

 

[AlterEgo]

Expert opinion (i.e. the first thing I found) dates it to the early 1980s, but it only became widespread later.

As punctuation it goes back further though Frank and Moon Unit Zappa's Valley Girl is blamed for spreading it:

This isn't a use of "like" to quote oneself. Here it is being used as a method of punctuation to partially distance the speaker from the sincerity of what they are saying.

Frank Zappa was like "lol weed is so lame, pack it in" is a different use to saying, Frank Zappa is like, one of my heroes, you know?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Oct 2024 ==

"Gonna" is definitely American in origin

QI buzzer sounding on that one! It's regional English vernacular.

 

[gg1]

cool

You're at least 40 years too late to complain about the use of that particular Americanism in Britain. It was common when I was at school in the 80s.

 

[Gloster]

‘Cool’ was around when I was at school in the mid-1970s and had a slight feeling of being very much the latest slang. However, this was a public school and they are sometimes a little slow to pick up on things, although they would never admit it. It does seem to have appeared in US jazz circles in the thirties and forties, and was in use in the UK by the fifties. I would suggest that it was brought over by the GIs in World War II and slowly spread.

Isn’t ‘gonna’ a member of the Royal Artillery?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

an I turned round and a ses to im a ses looka bonny lad dis yas want some div yas? an he ses to me.........

Tried putting that through 'Google Translate' without much success. Sounds vaguely threatening though!

 

[Magdalia]

Language evolves, and this has evolved to mean "I said". I admit I say it all the time, can't really remember when or why I started, but it now comes much more naturally to me than "I said" when I'm telling a story. Maybe it's come from the US..?

It usually means someone is quoting themselves, sometimes in a theatrical, exaggerated, or otherwise less than exact way. Surprising to read that such a popular vernacular phrase is misunderstood!

When used to report the contents of a previous conversation, the use of "like" in this way is a valuable addition to the English language. The essence of what was said is imparted without implying that the quotes are exact.

Whilst I, you know, appreciate that, you know, language evolves, I’m absolutely sick and tired of, you know, people who can’t, you know, hold a conversation without, you know, saying “you know” every few seconds, you know what I mean??

In this example, "you know" is a filler to give the speaker time to think what to say next. Another filler in common use is "obviously".

 

[91104]

Another phrase that everyone seems to use nowadays that makes no sense to me is “can I get”. When people are in a Coffee shop or pub etc and say “can I get a….” It seems to imply they’re asking permission to come behind the counter and get whatever it is they want themselves.

 

[Gloster]

Another phrase that everyone seems to use nowadays that makes no sense to me is “can I get”. When people are in a Coffee shop or pub etc and say “can I get a….” It seems to imply they’re asking permission to come behind the counter and get whatever it is they want themselves.

It has been suggested (I can’t remember where I read it) that this is people trying to be a bit more polite than peremptorily saying, “Get me a…” The possibility of using a longer but politer version (“Could you please let me have...”) is seen as a bit old fashioned and probably just too much work to bother about (I want it and I want it now!). Make of that what you will.

 

[J-2739]

In this example, "you know" is a filler to give the speaker time to think what to say next. Another filler in common use is "obviously".

Also, "basically" and "literally".

Could be argued that "well" is a filler too, just in the same vein as "uhm" and "uhh".

 

[ChrisC]

I could "of" rather than I could have still annoys me though.

I don’t think that one will ever die out. I hadn’t realised it was so widespread throughout the country. I thought it was just part of the local Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire dialect. I spent nearly 40 years as a primary school teacher in Nottinghamshire trying to stop children writing “could of” when it should have been “could have”

I have to admit that I have not really noticed people saying “and I was like”. Perhaps it’s because since retiring, most of the people I have conversations with are middle aged or older and also I don’t watch many American tv series.

 

[MotCO]

. I could "of" rather than I could have still annoys me though.

Same here. Possibly we are 'pure grammarians'?

The other one which doesn't grate quite so much is 'try and do something' rather than 'try to do something'.

Finally, is it me or has the use of 'So' at the start of each sentence also declined of late?

 

[Essan]

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that a vast section of society now seem unable to have a conversation without saying the phrase “and I was like” several times. What does this phrase even mean and how did it come to be such a big part of the British vocabulary?

Can't say I've noticed the phrase myself, but I don't watch TV and most of the public I engage in conversation with tend to be middle aged or older (I'm assuming its usage is more common amongst younger people?)

 

[DelW]

Another phrase that everyone seems to use nowadays that makes no sense to me is “can I get”. When people are in a Coffee shop or pub etc and say “can I get a….” It seems to imply they’re asking permission to come behind the counter and get whatever it is they want themselves.

It has been suggested (I can’t remember where I read it) that this is people trying to be a bit more polite than peremptorily saying, “Get me a…” The possibility of using a longer but politer version (“Could you please let me have...”) is seen as a bit old fashioned and probably just too much work to bother about (I want it and I want it now!). Make of that what you will.

Growing up in the 1950s, it was drummed into me that the only polite form was "Please may I have a ... ?". Using "Please can I have a ... ?" risked the reply "yes, you can, but you may not" meaning no ice cream, chocolate bar, or whatever was being sought. Different times!

 

[Sun Chariot]

It's all down to Canadian chanteuse Nelly Furtado and her 2000 song "I'm Like a Bird".

 

[SteveP29]

Another phrase that everyone seems to use nowadays that makes no sense to me is “can I get”. When people are in a Coffee shop or pub etc and say “can I get a….” It seems to imply they’re asking permission to come behind the counter and get whatever it is they want themselves.

Stepkids when they all lived with us (only one of them left now) would say 'I'm going to take a shower'
I'd say, 'where to?'
EVERY
SINGLE
TIME
they looked at me as if I was stupid.

Their stock phrase now consists of 'I'm not even joking' even when describing the most serious circumstances.
I don't understand why they'd even think, considering what the subject was or the event they were describing, that we'd think they were being anything but serious

 

[MotCO]

Finally, is it me or has the use of 'So' at the start of each sentence also declined of late?

I think I spoke too soon

I’m in Manchester and heard a huge bang. So a bus has come round the corner of Picc Gardens and Mosley St and smashed into a double tram. Wreckage quite bad. Police screaming at everyone to get out the way

Bus has crashed into Metrolink

I’m in Manchester and heard a huge bang. So a bus has come round the corner of Picc Gardens and Mosley St and smashed into a double tram. Wreckage quite bad. Police screaming at everyone to get out the way Image shows damage

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[adc82140]

Things change, and what seems widespread now will also die out. Remember "innit" from the early 2000s? Hardly hear that any more.

I did once come across someone (a young adult) who genuinely thought the word "probably" was "prolly".

"So fun" instead of "Such fun"

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Oct 2024 ==



I think I spoke too soon

Bus has crashed into Metrolink

I’m in Manchester and heard a huge bang. So a bus has come round the corner of Picc Gardens and Mosley St and smashed into a double tram. Wreckage quite bad. Police screaming at everyone to get out the way Image shows damage

www.railforums.co.uk

You can blame Miranda for making "such fun" a rather unpopular phrase.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I think I spoke too soon

Bus has crashed into Metrolink

I’m in Manchester and heard a huge bang. So a bus has come round the corner of Picc Gardens and Mosley St and smashed into a double tram. Wreckage quite bad. Police screaming at everyone to get out the way Image shows damage

www.railforums.co.uk

Oi leave me alone I was typing in a hurry

 

[londonbridge]

When used to report the contents of a previous conversation, the use of "like" in this way is a valuable addition to the English language. The essence of what was said is imparted without implying that the quotes are exact.


In this example, "you know" is a filler to give the speaker time to think what to say next. Another filler in common use is "obviously".

In other words it’s just lazy speech from people who can’t be bothered to slow down, think about what they’re trying to say, and speak properly.

 

[simonw]

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that a vast section of society now seem unable to have a conversation without saying the phrase “and I was like” several times. What does this phrase even mean and how did it come to be such a big part of the British vocabulary?

Twenty years, like, too late mate.

 

[Halwynd]

Language does evolve and most of these phrases usually give me a smile, but for some reason two still make my blood boil to explosion:

Reach out...
Thank you for your patience..