for nonnative speakers i think it makes you look fluent but is it really?
using "like" makes you look fluent in english
"he was like so happy"
"like..like.. you don't know what im saying.. like you know"
"like..like.. you don't know what im saying.. like you know"
I would say no, as such in itself indicates no actual natural usage of everyday spoken English but rather that one has just happened to pick up that particular usage - which has nothing to do with one's actual fluency in English.
<<which has nothing to do with one's actual fluency in English.>>
"makes you LOOK fluent"
"makes you LOOK fluent"
Not really. Honestly, if someone had clearly non-fluent English but used the word "like" a lot, it would not make them seem any more fluent to me but rather would make it seem as if they were merely parroting the use of "like" in various NAE dialects more than anything.
<for nonnative speakers i think it makes you look fluent but is it really? >
It certainly makes you sound fluent in one or two variants of English.
It certainly makes you sound fluent in one or two variants of English.
Only *being fluent* in English makes you look like you're fluent in English.
Using like a lot is like, you know... like really stupid. It's like when you like don't know, what to like say? Do you like know what I mean?
It's fun to pick up words that make you sound cool in other languages, but "like" can make you sound too young in some circumstances or not professional enough.
Using the word "like" often makes people look like an immature and illiterate American teen. Saddly, some people are not even teens still overuse it.
I think it sounds funny when non-native speakers use "like"! As if they're trying REALLY hard to sound like native speakers and making a joke of themselves =p
Personally, I would rather English learners kept their accents instead of putting on that ersatz American voice that seems to be in vogue these days - especially in East Asia. Stop trying so hard and just talk naturally! Frankly speaking, I find Chinese, Singaporean and Polish accents pleasant enough (these are the ones I come across most often; I'm not choosing them on purpose).
Personally, I would rather English learners kept their accents instead of putting on that ersatz American voice that seems to be in vogue these days - especially in East Asia. Stop trying so hard and just talk naturally! Frankly speaking, I find Chinese, Singaporean and Polish accents pleasant enough (these are the ones I come across most often; I'm not choosing them on purpose).
I don't really think it makes you sound more fluent or anything, but it is a word that is very colloquial and normally used by a native speaker, especially in North American English. I mean, every other word you say is "like" you're gonna sound like a moron, not fluent. And trust me on this one, I say like a lot, you've no idea how many times I refrained from typing like right now.
"Like" only makes you look like a native speaker if you use it correctly--in the way a native speaker would.
Otherwise, it can seem ridiculous.
Otherwise, it can seem ridiculous.
I think it's good to emulate native speech patterns, forms, norms, and habits. What kind of English is an ESLer supposed to copy if not the one used by native speakers?
If Americans tend to use the word "like" that way in casual conversation, I believe it's not only okay, but even advisable for a non-native speaker to do the same, needless to say provided that US English is the specific dialect he wants to acquire.
"Like", when used the way illustrated in this thread, is what they call a "filler". It helps you take time to think what you're going to say next. It helps you come up with words instead of becoming tongue-tied. It helps your discourse going on. Fillers are a powerful weapon against faltering. In other words, they are a powerful weapon to build fluency. That's precisely what fluency is to me. To speak without faltering.
If native speakers use fillers, why shouldn't others follow the same avenue?
This said, I'm not advocating a bloated use of the filler "like", nor of any other filler. It should be utilized only to the extent that occurs in the speech of the average educated native speaker.
With every good wish,
Achab
If Americans tend to use the word "like" that way in casual conversation, I believe it's not only okay, but even advisable for a non-native speaker to do the same, needless to say provided that US English is the specific dialect he wants to acquire.
"Like", when used the way illustrated in this thread, is what they call a "filler". It helps you take time to think what you're going to say next. It helps you come up with words instead of becoming tongue-tied. It helps your discourse going on. Fillers are a powerful weapon against faltering. In other words, they are a powerful weapon to build fluency. That's precisely what fluency is to me. To speak without faltering.
If native speakers use fillers, why shouldn't others follow the same avenue?
This said, I'm not advocating a bloated use of the filler "like", nor of any other filler. It should be utilized only to the extent that occurs in the speech of the average educated native speaker.
With every good wish,
Achab