What My Curiosity Taught Me Today: Fluency and Discourse Markers.
Alright, picture this: It’s just another lazy Sunday. I’m there, enjoying my breakfast, scrolling endlessly through the vast expanse of social media. That’s when I stumbled across a 20-minute interview that piqued my curiosity and wouldn’t let go. The topic? Oh, it’s buzzing in the news, but here’s the kicker: it wasn’t just the topic that got me hooked; it was how it was talked about.
So there I was, post-breakfast, diving headfirst into this rabbit hole. I’m watching interviews, listening to point A and point B, seeing how each side lays out their cards. And you know what? The folks from point A, they’ve got this smooth flow, no hitches, no “uhms” or “likes” — nothing. It’s like they’ve done this a million times. It got me thinking, “Man, what’s up with that?”
That’s when my detective hat went on. I’m digging through linguistics, psychology, trying to find out what’s the deal with this. And guess what I find? A whole TED Ed on the subject. These speech patterns, these pauses and fillers, or the lack thereof, they’ve got names:
- Fluency.
- Discourse Markers.
It’s all there, and my curiosity? Through the roof.
Here’s the thing — I started with this notion, right? That these fillers, these hesitations, they were like red flags. Like, if you’re using them, maybe you’re not too confident in what you’re saying. Maybe you’re trying to sell me a bridge I don’t need. But the more I learned, the more I realized it’s not black and white. These markers, they’re tools in our communication toolbox. They keep the convo flowing, make things relatable.
But here’s my two cents: while these linguistic quirks are part of our day-to-day chit-chat, there’s a time and place, you know? If you’re giving a lecture or in an interview, maybe that’s the time to keep it tight, keep it clean. That’s where I stand, at least. Using these fillers too much in those settings? It just doesn’t jive with me.
So, what’s the takeaway from my Sunday dive into speech fluency? It’s this: Speaking smoothly, avoiding those “uhms” and “likes,” it can really change how people hear what you’ve got to say. But, and it’s a big but, communication — it’s complicated. It’s not just about cutting out the fillers; it’s about connecting, really connecting. And maybe, just maybe, that’s the real unspoken power.
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