I have been following francis Doku on facebook for
sometime now. Its so insightful on his page because he shares lots of very
educative content. I am going to share what I learned today on his page about CRUTCH
WORDS, a piece he chanced on at dictionary.com
Crutch words are words that we slip into
sentences in order to give ourselves more time to think, or to emphasize a
statement. Over time, they become unconscious verbal tics. Most often, crutch
words do not add meaning of a statement.
Actually
[ak-choo-uh-lee]
Actually
is the perfect example of a crutch word. It is meant to signify something that
exists in reality, but it is more often used as a way to add punch to a
statement (as in, "I actually have no idea"). The next word is one of
the most chronically misused crutch words in English.
Literally
[lit-er-uh-lee]
This
adverb should be used to describe an action that occurs in a strict sense.
Often, however, it is used inversely to emphasize a hyperbolic or figurative
statement: "I literally ran 300 miles today." Literally is one of the
most famously used crutch words in English.
Basically
[bey-sik-lee]
This
word is used to signal truth, simplicity, and confidence, like in
"Basically, he made a bad decision." It should signify something that
is fundamental or elementary, but too often this word is used in the context of
things that are far from basic in order to create a sense of authority and
finality.
Honestly
[on-ist-lee]
This
crutch word is used to assert authority or express incredulity, as in,
"Honestly, I have no idea why he said that." However, it very rarely
adds honesty to a statement. The next crutch word is perhaps the most famous
one out there.
Like
[lahyk]
The
cardinal sinner of lazy words like is interspersed in dialogue to give a
speaker more time to think or because the speaker cannot shake the habit of
using the word. Like should describe something of the same form, appearance,
kind, character, or amount. But, very often, it is used involuntarily in
conversation, just like um.
Obviously
[ob-vee-uhs]
This
word should signify an action which is readily observable, recognized, or
understood. Speakers tend to use it, however, to emphasize their point with
regards to things that aren't necessarily obvious: "Obviously he should
have thrown the ball to first base."
Credit:
dictionary.com
