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Sunday, June 21, 2015

Like

Like is a many splendored thing.
It is better to have liked and lost than never to have liked at all.
Who, being liked, is poor? 
 A baby is born with a need to be liked — and never outgrows it.
 Like is, above all, the gift of oneself.
All is fair in like and war.
She likes you, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've lost that likin' feeling.
I just called to say I like you.

And so it goes. With "like" being one of the most often used word in the modern American English I thought I would see just what it means. It's like, and I'm like, and he's like, all over this like thing. As a form of hesitation instead of "um", "uh", "er", "ah" you can now use the word 'like", because it's like, you know, like, cool. 
How does that happen in an evolving language?

Maybe it has something to do with FACEBOOK. You can like all kinds of things there. You can't love them or okay them, but you can unlike something. Only if you previously liked it, however. Millions of people like millions of other people or things every day there. It is a likefest of enormous proportion going on 24/7. But is there only like in this world?

What's wrong with "you know"?

“Well, you know, that’s something, obviously, that, you know, in principle and in the campaign, you know, I think that, um, the tax cuts, you know, were expiring and needed to be repealed.” - Caroline Kennedy referring to the Bush tax cuts. 

I guess it is a thing for older folks.

Instead of he said or she said , now it's he's like and she's like. The origins are said to come from "Valley speak" from the late 70's and into the '80's (like, totally).

There is a help page at wikihow to help you to STOP saying like (If you like, even wanted to). Seriously!
The first lesson is:
 
Know how the word "like" is supposed to be used. In English, there are only two correct, proper usages for the word "like." These are:
  • Similarity - "This tastes like chicken."
  • Enjoyment - "I like this movie."

Who am I to argue?

While being "liked" is often what happens when you are "friend-zoned". This is the ultimate expression of like to most young men. It's never going to be love just because you want it to be. I know this happens to heterosexuals and can only assume it happens to homosexuals, as well, but either way it is a pathetic place to be.












But, I digress.
My favorite Likes are substitutes for love in song titles. They give me the giggles. So if you see a 64 year old man walkng down the street chuckling to himself he may be thinking of things like this:
The Greatest like of all
The Power of like
Dreamliker
I want to know what Like is
What's like Got to do With it
Like will keep us Together
She likes You
To Sir with Like
Crazy Little thing called Like
I Will Always Like You
How Deep is your Like
Endless Like

And this list is nearly, like, endless.

or he might just be a bit crazy.

Here's likin' at you, kid!
 

20 comments:

  1. Big smiles.
    And gratitude that I have managed to avoid FB. Lots of people have told me that I need it, but so far I manage just fine without it.
    Liked this post a lot.

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  2. Jono - excellent!

    I try to stay away from Facebook - that farcebook of like.
    You know, I really, um, like this post, you know?

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  3. Like Elephant's Child, I am not on Facebook (not really, unless you count signing up and doing one post many years ago).

    I--like her--like not being part of the "like this" population.

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  4. Ooohhh… like to like you baby…

    Great post!

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  5. "When a maaaaaan likes a woman..."

    This is, like, great, you know? Like, it just really resounded with me. You know?

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  6. Entertainng
    I always thought " like" was such an insipid word

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  7. Jono, I like you. I honestly like you.

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  8. ♪♫♪♫ What's like got to do with it... ♪♫♪♫

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  9. Elephant's Child, you are right. You don't need it. The world still turns without Facebook.

    Dixie,Farcebook is like, you know, unnecessary.

    Sioux, I am sure you are still there. Probably for eternity or the next Big Thing whichever comes first.

    Professor, You've got to hide your like away. How about "Likely Rita (Meter Maid)?

    ABFTS, I think I cried when Percy Sledge died. You guys know how to churn my innards.

    JACKIESUE, Only you... can salvage my Monday.

    John Gray, Next week's word might be insipid.

    Donna, Sometimes a little like is all a person needs to make him smile.

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  10. PP, What's like, but a second hand emotion...

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  11. Totally educational and, like, entertaining at the same time! Like!!!

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  12. Like just doesn't cut it. You know? And it's hard to sound intelligent when a person says "You know" all the time. I dislike that very much. I get a chuckle out of people who "like" a sad facebook post, though. It seems very insensitive to give a thumbs up when someone lost their precious puppy dog, for example. You know? I know you do, Jono.

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  13. Agi T., It was my, like, pleasure, you know.

    Robyn, Yes, I know, I know, I know, you know?

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  14. Can I 'like' this post even if it is not on Facebook? But since I don't use Facebook I guess this is the only place I can 'like'. Ya' know, this is a groovy post.

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  15. Like, I totally like this, dude! Thanks for the chuckles! :-)

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  16. Jerry, Thanks for stopping by! I'm just groovin' on a Sunday afternoon.

    Diane, You've given me waaay more chuckles. It's the very least I can do.

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  17. There was once a cigarette ad: ?? tastes good like a cigarette should. People complained that it was bad grammar. Their next ad included what do you want, good taste or good grammar. If you remember Granny from Playboys past, she was dancing on the bar in her usual garb and the caption was what do you want good taste or good granny?

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  18. Hi, Jon! Actually, I would like to know what like is. Sometimes hard to tell, you know? :-)

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  19. Blog Fodder, I like well grammar whenever I go, but I do have a dificul time with bad speling.

    Keera, Thanks for swinging by. Yes, it is hard to tell, but I have heard it's a many splendored thing.

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