Basic Signature Verbal Crutches.

Dr jalarth Uche Opara

I have always been fascinated by those words and expressions that unconsciously follow us everywhere we go in conversation.

They are called filler words, verbal crutches, or what I prefer to call Signature Verbal Crutches.The truth is, almost everybody has one.

The funny thing is that you are usually the last person to know yours.

You may think you are speaking brilliantly, delivering a masterpiece of intellectual articulation, while everybody listening has already started counting how many times you have said:

“You get it?”
😂😂😂
Some people cannot speak for two minutes without saying:

“I now…”

Others will begin every explanation with:Let me tell you something…”
Even when nobody asked them to tell anybody anything. 😂

Then we have:

“Basically…”
“You see…”
“At the end of the day…”
“As in…”
“Kind of…”
“Do you understand?”
“You get the point?”
“Guy…”
“In short…”
“Apparently…”
“For real…”
“Eh…”
“Um…”
You see..

And, of course, those ones who use “basically” to explain something that eventually becomes very complicated.
😂😂😂
These verbal crutches are usually unconscious. They come naturally and instinctively. You may not even realise that you have one until somebody who listens carefully to you points it out.

And once they do, you suddenly become conscious of it. Then you start monitoring yourself:“I now…”Oops! 😳“You see…”Ah! There I go again!
😂😂😂
Some verbal crutches can become extremely pesky, especially when they appear in virtually every sentence. Others somehow become part of the speaker’s personality and even add a little steeze to their delivery. I once had a lecturer whose signature verbal crutch was:

“SO THEREFORE…”

My goodness!Hardly could the man make three sentences without so therefore making an appearance.

“So therefore, when you look at the situation…“So therefore, as I was saying…”So therefore, the implication is that…”“So therefore, you must understand…”At a point, you could close your eyes and predict his next words.He would say:“So…”And the entire class would silently respond:

“THEREFORE!”

😂😂😂😂😂

The interesting thing about signature verbal crutches is that they can become part of your identity. Your friends, family members, colleagues and even casual acquaintances may recognise your favourite expression before you ever realise how frequently you use it.

So, let me ask:
What is your signature verbal crutch?What is that one word or expression that unconsciously appears in almost every conversation you have?

Ask the people around you.
Trust me, they probably know it better than you do!
And please, if somebody tells you yours, don’t get offended.

I now… you get it? 😂😂😂

What is your own signature verbal crutches?

Jarlath Opara
jarlathuche@gmail.com