But our times are divided. There are indications that at the same time, many others are seeking to combat diversity of thought, denying the comfort of the idea that their point of view is the only one, and fostering an ideal. by which our society regards differences of opinion as a norm. rather than a threat. We can see it in aspects of linguistic behavior as well as in broader cultural issues.
Regular American English, in ways we’re not always aware of, more openly in facilitating dissent than in the past. For example, the use of “like that” which irks purists is in fact a useful discursive hedge, along with phrases like “sort of,” “sort of,” and “sort of.” you know”. In conversation, these expressions can be read as subtle signs that someone knows that there are other ways to see things, and to be too discriminating is to imply a certainty that all is possible. may not share.
I mentioned this before in this newsletterbut I wanted to illustrate how ingrained this has been with recent NPR interviewin which journalist Michael Grunwald presents himself in a way that is now the norm across all media levels, with the fences discreetly hidden. Originally, speaking of the Plan to Rescue Americans, he placed these rhetorical fences next to potentially controversial or controversial points as a way of not anarchy or hesitation but deliberation (emphasis added). more):
So that really worked. And, You knowsome people think it worked too well and it helped create some inflation somethings like that overheated economy.
The Infrastructure Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act – I think, You know, the jury is not over yet. Those are 10-year bills. You knowWe’ll see how the implementation goes.
And a little later, by President Biden:
During the Obama administration, he was type negotiator. … And I think you have to say that to some extent he can do business, even if largely based on the Inflation Reduction Act, sure, he does. type Leave it to the Senate to edit the details.
It’s true that public speech is simply less formal than it used to be, but it’s also been the case that informal speech in the past has been less associated with this type of politeness barrier. If I choose a source that is nearly half a century old, such as “Informal Speech: Alphabetical and Phonetic Text with Analysis and Statistics,” a book full of examples of people, including young people, just talk, I’ll probably find a few, if any, examples of “like” hedging, informal. Indeed, there has been a time in our lives (or at least in my day) when “like” is like, not a thing. It is often considered a feature of the dull “Valley” voice. (To listen here for British actress Emilia Clarke, famous in “Game of Thrones,” for an interesting, if only slightly stereotypical, Valley accent for late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.) But the “like” deserves credit. Receiver is a nuanced conversational device that enables something we find lacking today: consideration for the listener.
Grunwald is a respected writer and analyst. If you listen to his interview, you will hear someone speak confidently and intelligently. And with his intimacy, occasionally appearing in the fence, he deftly moves an informative conversation by gently signaling to his listeners that he is decompressing (Sorry, Frank Bruni) what he knows about Biden’s record while leaving room for other views. He provides discussion, not dictates his point of view.
