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So, like, you know… Why are verbal tics everywhere?

Words and phrases such as ‘so’, ‘like’ and ‘know what I mean’ now pepper our conversations, but why do we use them and why do we notice them so much? Jenni Murray talks to Jennifer Smith, Professor of Sociolinguistics at the University of Glasgow, about these verbal fillers, and explains their usage, what impact they have, and whether women are more likely to use them than men.

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5 minutes