ADVICE: Why Do We Say "You Know" in Conversations?
QUESTION:
Why do we say 'you know' in conversations?
I mean, why do we say it, when the other person does not know what we will be saying. So why the need to say 'you know'?
REPLY:
This falls into the realm of Psychology and Culture where people do things without always knowing the origin. For example, some people are unaware of how the word "ain't" came into existence.
"Ain't" is a hybrid of "Aren't" and "Isn't." People began using the term and it stuck in society.
When people say "You know," it's a truncated version of "Do you know?" Because people don't want to say all those words and it's a given, people shorten it to "you know?"
It's the same with people who say "Right?" They're really saying, "Am I right?" However, because it's easier to just say that one word with one syllable, you can drop the rest.
The other part of your question is why people say it even though the other person doesn't always know. That's because some people make a habit of using "Filler Words." Filler Words are "uh" and "like."
When people are on stage, they get nervous and aren't used to uncomfortable silence. So they naturally fill the void by saying "Uh" all the time. "I, uh, was talking to, uh, Becky the other day, and, uh, I had a great time."
"Uh" doesn't serve any real purpose.
People joke about Valley Girls that always use "Like" in their words. "So, like, I was going to the mall, like, yesterday and couldn't decide on, like, the red sweater or the blue one."
Then you've got people who swear using the "F" word. "That concer was f*cking awesome. It was f*cking off the chain." That tends to grate on the nerves of Grammar Nazis.
You know? :)
SOURCES:
"Clueless" starring Alicia Silverstone
HEATHER: It's like Hamlet said, "To thine own self be true"
CHER: (sitting in the back seat snorts) He didn't say that
HEATHER: (laughing dismissively at Cher) I think I remember Shakespeare accurately
CHER: (imitating the girlfriend's laugh mockingly) Well I remember Mel Gibson "accurately," and he didn't say that. That Polonius guy did.
Why do we say 'you know' in conversations?
I mean, why do we say it, when the other person does not know what we will be saying. So why the need to say 'you know'?
REPLY:
This falls into the realm of Psychology and Culture where people do things without always knowing the origin. For example, some people are unaware of how the word "ain't" came into existence.
"Ain't" is a hybrid of "Aren't" and "Isn't." People began using the term and it stuck in society.
When people say "You know," it's a truncated version of "Do you know?" Because people don't want to say all those words and it's a given, people shorten it to "you know?"
It's the same with people who say "Right?" They're really saying, "Am I right?" However, because it's easier to just say that one word with one syllable, you can drop the rest.
The other part of your question is why people say it even though the other person doesn't always know. That's because some people make a habit of using "Filler Words." Filler Words are "uh" and "like."
When people are on stage, they get nervous and aren't used to uncomfortable silence. So they naturally fill the void by saying "Uh" all the time. "I, uh, was talking to, uh, Becky the other day, and, uh, I had a great time."
"Uh" doesn't serve any real purpose.
People joke about Valley Girls that always use "Like" in their words. "So, like, I was going to the mall, like, yesterday and couldn't decide on, like, the red sweater or the blue one."
Then you've got people who swear using the "F" word. "That concer was f*cking awesome. It was f*cking off the chain." That tends to grate on the nerves of Grammar Nazis.
You know? :)
SOURCES:
"Clueless" starring Alicia Silverstone
HEATHER: It's like Hamlet said, "To thine own self be true"
CHER: (sitting in the back seat snorts) He didn't say that
HEATHER: (laughing dismissively at Cher) I think I remember Shakespeare accurately
CHER: (imitating the girlfriend's laugh mockingly) Well I remember Mel Gibson "accurately," and he didn't say that. That Polonius guy did.