Tip - The truth behind one of the most disliked phrases in English | Dictionary.com Blog

Admit it, whether you regard yourself as a scholar of linguistics or a self proclaimed language snob - you’ve, at least once, crossed over to the dark side and used the word “like” in a sentence where it, like, doesn’t belong. Narrowly escaping the grammar police, you catch yourself, cringe and promise never again! This usage of “like” is known as a slang interjection. This form as well as the adverbial use of "like" dates back a lot further than you might think. Many people believe Moon Unit Zappa and her 1982 single Valley Girl are responsible for popularizing this usage of "like" precisely at the moment Ms. Zappa sang, “It’s like, barf me out.” The sociolect that the song celebrates, Valspeak, originates in Southern California.  In reality, the slang use of the word “like” has been a part of popular culture dating as far back as 1928 and a cartoon in the "New Yorker" that depicts two women discussing a man’s workspace with a text that reads, “What’s he got – an awfice?” “No, he’s
Tags: like