Any language, given time, will change. Slang words come up, words acquire different meanings, and so forth. However, there are some things which are simply wrong and should be treated as such, yet are more frequently misused than the just about anything else.
The word in question, for those of you who have not guessed it, is "like". If you did guess or you do think you know what I'm talking about, then you're probably wrong. This word is misused most often and by the largest number of people not as a placeholder, which is quite annoying, but as a substitute for "said" and "thought".
Interestingly enough, I don't think I've met a single person who doesn't use that word as a substitute for those two words.
Multiple problems arise at this point. First is the ambiguity - a thought during a conversation might be perceived as a comment, and vice-versa. Second is the fact that it is just plain wrong. The word means "Similar To" - a person does not become similar to a phrase, they say it or think it. Yet people perpetuate this mistake throughout their lives without ever wondering about it. It's as ingrained in our culture as soda.
This is something ridiculous that needs to stop. Unfortunately, there are very few people who realize this, and most people would have trouble admitting that they have a problem and need to change. As a result, this won't stop until some new, more trendy word comes along to replace it entirely.
Because of the subject of this post, I'll also mention that yes, using "Like" as a placeholder makes your sentence or phrase one of uncertainty. Using it whenever you pause is an incorrect usage of the word which should not be done, and when you do use it, use it properly.
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