You ate like five minutes ago.

[it-is-niaz]

Chao: If I don't eat something soon, I'm gonna die ... to death.

Chi: Oh, come on bro. You ate like five minutes ago.



Cartoon: Duck Duck Goose

May I ask what "like" mean here? Is it kind of filler which have no specific meaning?
I have noticed that most Americans use like a lot in their conversations like the way it is used above.

 

[teechar]

May I ask what "like" means here? Is it a kind of filler which [STRIKE]have[/STRIKE] has no specific meaning?

Yes, that's what it is.

I have noticed that most Americans use like a lot in their conversations like the way it is used above.

Alas, it's spreading elsewhere. Young native English speakers in other countries are doing it too.
I can't stand it.

 

[NamelessKing]

Chao: If I don't eat something soon, I'm gonna die ... to death.

Chi: Oh, come on bro. You ate like five minutes ago.



Cartoon: Duck Duck Goose

May I ask what "like" mean here? Is it kind of filler which have no specific meaning?
I have noticed that most Americans use like a lot in their conversations like the way it is used above.

I'm not 100% sure but I'd say it means 'about'. I assume 'like' in that sentence refers to the amount of time in the range of 5 minutes.

Not a teacher

 

[emsr2d2]

It could but generally, as a filler, it means nothing.

 

[jutfrank]

I don't think it's a filler here. It has some effect as a way of approximating five minutes.

 

[Rover_KE]

NamelessKing, please read this extract from the forum's Posting Gudelines:

You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly in your post.

 

[Do228]

Why don't teachers and politicians in English speaking countries take action against the inflationary use of "like"?

(not a teacher)

 

[Rover_KE]

We have more important things to worry about.

 

[Skrej]

Why don't teachers and politicians in English speaking countries take action against the inflationary use of "like"?

(not a teacher)

Not sure what politicians are supposed to do that people wouldn't just ignore anyway. Ditto for teachers, whom they probably ignored in the first place.

Besides, even if one could suppress it somehow, people would just find another word, so it'd just be playing whack-a-mole.

Although, that's pretty much what politicians do do anyway. :lol:

 

[GoesStation]

Why don't teachers and politicians in English speaking countries take action against the inflationary use of "like"?

Why don't you take the lead? A strongly-worded letter to the Times of London would be sure to lead to decisive action.

 

[emsr2d2]

First, you'd have to stop a fair few politicians littering their own speech with meaningless fillers, such as "Like", "I mean", and "Well", and then time-fillers such as "I'm glad you asked me that" or "That's a great question".






Never mind the oft-repeated meaningless "Brexit means Brexit"!

 

[tzfujimino]

I know what you mean by "N", ems.

"Never mind the oft-repeated ..."

I can read your mind.:-D

 

[Skrej]

First, you'd have to stop [STRIKE]a fair few[/STRIKE] politicians littering their own speech with meaningless fillers, such as [STRIKE]"Like", "I mean", and "Well", and then time-fillers such as "I'm glad you asked me that" or "That's a great question" [/STRIKE] anything they say.

There, fixed it for ya ems.;-)