What is it with the trend by television anchors, color commentators, politicians.....it seems EVERYONE on TV these days to begin their sentences with 'Look" or "Listen".
What?????
Even our President practices this speech pattern! I don't know about you, but never once did any of my English teachers encourage us to speak in this fashion.
Is it me? Where did this habit come from?
LOOK............I'm getting tired of it...........how about you?
I'm, uh, really.... like.....sick of it too! I mean... you see, it's, like, really tough to follow a train of "thought" when....you know...it's dragged out with a lot of nonsense talk.....You Know?
Chris - It is a pattern of speech designed to command attention. If you think about it … the fact that it has you writing about it means that they got your attention to it. (LOL) You know the more we focus on things ….the bigger they get …whether we like them, or want them, or not.
The greatest president spoke to the masses in fifth grade stands. Ronald Reagan, the great communicator. He did not start any statements with "WHAT".
You know :-) I think "pause fillers" and "social speech transitions" or whatever you want to call them are not always evil.
Beginning a sentence with "Listen," or "Look," can sometimes take a sharp edge off what would otherwise be a harsh sounding statement. The transition word or phrase seems to make the statement more open and conciliatory.
On the other hand, if you need the statement to be powerful and firm, then you drop the transition word thing.
Kathleen,
I understand your point about commanding attention but when any word is overused, I tend to focus on the word and not on the actual message. The speaker has my attention as I am already listening.
I am calling attention not to the message, but to the delivery.
I just watched a National interview where the child interviewed said to the reporter "The I saw the DUDE with the ax."
You're right Rick. My sister told me many years ago that we all tend to pick up speech patterns from those we hang around. The news commentators are all sounding alike now-a-days.
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