Of course I do and I think most people do. Its pretty hard to go without filler words in conversation. You’d need to be well spoken and thoughtful in every conversation to avoid using them.

The filler words do carry meaning just not content although using them every time establishes a new baseline. They can be used to convey vibes, to harden, soften or communicate lack of confidence for example.

If you kinda/sorta deleted a person’s account, you still deleted the account but you are implicitly saying you didn’t mean to for example. Lowkey can be a modifier to mean you don’t feel strongly about something.

I still use “cool” a lot, but I think its become one of those words that will persist through generations.

It’s not really a filler word, but I’ve been corrected on my use of “just,” particularly at my work place. “Just” is often used by some people to minimise the impact of what they’re saying intentionally. For example, “I just think we should change the wording in this law.” If you take out ‘just’ (and some of the other words) and say the thing you meant to say - it becomes a far punchier statement, “We should change the wording in this law.”

The OP made me think of a poem by Taylor Mali, “Speak With Conviction.”

I’m french, and it’s a geberational thing I guess. People my age often say “genre” (equals “kinda”), and older people find this very annoying (I’m 22)

It’s funny how people will be particular over filler words but not over speaking a shitty language with a grammar that barely makes sense.

The Title should be “Do You Use Filler Words?” not “Do You Needlessly Use Filler Words?”. At least I really, really, really think so. /s

Why use more word when less word work

no, why use many words when few do trick

Filler words carry meaning, even if they don’t have specific definitions in context. Like, “like” has a dictionary definition, but if you use it as, like, a filler word, you aren’t using that definition (necessarily), but it still conveys something about how the speaker is thinking. They don’t just pop up in speech at random. I like catching them and trying to interpret why speakers insert them where they do.

Like, “lowkey” is usually* sometimes used to soften harsh language e.g. “I’m lowkey gonna murder Sarah if she doesn’t stop chewing her gum with her mouth open”. Kinda how “kinda” works as a filler to tone down whatever is being said. I don’t actually want to murder Sarah, I just kinda want to murder her. I don’t even know if I would call them “proper filler words” in the same sense that “like” is, since they do have a particular function that “like” as a filler lacks. More research is needed it seems.

For me, I let 'em fly. If I had to deliver a speech I would probably include fewer than I usually use in casual conversation, but I don’t hold with the rule that they’re strictly to be avoided. I think they’re neat.

* edit: I just know how I’ve heard it used, I have no idea how it’s usually used. I’m lowkey not in the lowkey demographic.

uuuhno. (That’s one word.) 🤧

Yes I use needless filler words, but i use them because I need them ;)

Low key is a really egregious one though because it is not designed to be a filler word. The thing about filler words is that every adverb is a filler word, as neuroneiro points out. Using them less makes you sound confident and precise. Sometimes they are useful or necessary. But by definition - a filler word. It is likely our overuse of adverts which trains us to use filler words like sort of, low key, kind of

Do you needlessly use filler words?

No, I mean I don’t use them needlessly or whatever. I kinda use them to sorta let my thoughts buffer.

Pause Break.

I mean… For real, yeah, I guess, kinda lowkey.