Like

[Temico]

"He was, like, gorgeous."

How about this similar "sentence", to your above one, "She was, like, my mother."? Tell me, is "like" an "interjection"??

[notmyname216]

Temico, I don't know what the difference is between the sentences. I think we need Tdol or Casiopea. Tdol or Casiopea can you help?

[Casiopea]

EX: Like humans apes walk.
1. "Like" cannot be a noun since "humans" and "apes" are nouns.
2. "Like" cannot be a adjective since "humans apes" is not a compund noun.
=> "Like" could be an adjective. "humans" is a noun.
3. "Like" cannot be a adverb since "humans" is a noun.
4. "Like" cannot be a verb since "walk" is the verb.
5. "Like" cannot be an imperative verb.
6. "Like" cannot be an interjection. Delete it and the result is ungrammatical.
7. "Like" cannot be a preposition. ?Apes walk in the same manner as humans.

Why can "Like" not be a interjection? Is it because "humans" is a plural noun?

An interjection can be accompanied by a change in tone and facial expression or it can be an interposing remark that interrupts (i.e., it interjects):

EX: He was, like, gorgeous! (interjection)

Omit the interjection and the result remains grammatical:

EX: He was gorgeous! ('like' functions as an interjection)
EX: *Humans apes walk. ('Like' does not function as an interjection)

"Like" is an integral part of the sentence. Omit it and the result is ungrammatical.

This means "like" must be a preposition. Is this analysis correct?

Prepositional phrase: Apes walk like humans. (in the same manner as)
Truth evaluation: Apes walk, but they do not walk like humans.

Adjective: Like humans, Apes walk. (shared ability; such as)
Truth evaluation: Humans walk and Apes walk. Both share that ability, but they do not use that ability in the same way.

[Temico]

Adjective: Like humans, Apes walk. (shared ability; such as)
Truth evaluation: Humans walk and Apes walk. Both share that ability, but they do not use that ability in the same way.

I see your point. So, if I write,
"Like you all, I am entitled to the same benefits of the company.",
----it is not the same as writing,
"I am entitled to the same benefits like you all."
------because like in the first sentence is an adjective, whilst in the latter is a preposition, and not only that, but also, the first like means 'I have the 'shared ability', whilst the latter means 'I only have the 'same manner'.!!
(Heck! my dog also has "the shared ability" to come looking for food during lunch time!!)

[notmyname216]

Does that also mean if "like" occurs before a verb and it (the word "like") would normally seem to be a preposition but it would instead be an adjective?

Using that logic for the word "aboard":

Aboard ships people sleep. (Aboard is an adjective?)
People sleep aboard ships. (Aboard is a preposition?)