The meaning of "Like"

[Ali1002]

What's the meaning of "Like" in this sentence? It's an art form because like, other sports are competing. This is simply performing and having fun.

 

[bhaisahab]

It doesn't mean anything, it is inappropriate there. Where did you find that text?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I wondered about that, too. But capitalized L or not, the quote makes no sense.

Ali, are you sure you got it right? Where did you find it?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

What's the meaning of "Like" in this sentence? It's an art form because Like, other sports are competing. This is simply performing and having fun.

Oh! I figured it out. It's about some non-competitive sport and should read:

"It's an art form because, like, other sports are competing. This is simply performing and having fun."

The words "are competing" are meant in the sense of "are competitive" or "compete."

Ali, "like" means nothing there. A lot of English speakers use "like" as a place-holder while they're gathering their thoughts. Other popular place-holders include:

- um
- oh
- ah
- er
- I mean
- well
- see

In the mid-twentieth century, "like" was a hipster expression. Now it's used widely. Some people love it and some hate it. Most English teachers hate it.

PS:

Notice that commas and capital letters have meaning! The lack of a comma and the capital L confused us.

 

[Ali1002]

Oh! I figured it out. It's about some non-competitive sport and should read:

"It's an art form because, like, other sports are competing. This is simply performing and having fun."

The words "are competing" are meant in the sense of "are competitive" or "compete."

Ali, "like" means nothing there. A lot of English speakers use "like" as a place-holder while they're gathering their thoughts. Other popular place-holders include:

- um
- oh
- ah
- er
- I mean
- well
- see

In the mid-twentieth century, "like" was a hipster expression. Now it's used widely. Some people love it and some hate it. Most English teachers hate it.

PS:

Notice that commas and capital letters have meaning! The lack of a comma and the capital L confused us.

Oh, sorry! You're right, It's my fault. It was "like" not "Like".

 

[Ali1002]

I apologize to you all for my mistake again. I saw that sentence in a story about the young circus performers and one of them said it.

 

[Ali1002]

I've just read an article about the use of the word "like" in English sentences. One of the use, is as a modal marker. To quote: "A person says this in a context in which the news is unwelcome to the hearer, and this was either mentioned before or, just as likely, is unstatedly obvious. The like acknowledges ... the discomfort. It softens the blow—that is, eases—by swathing the statement in the garb of hypotheticality that the basic meaning of like lends." So, what do you think? Is this use of like as a modal marker in my thread? I hope you understand what I mean. Regards!

 

[SoothingDave]

"Like, I totally, like, like him, but I don't, like, like like him."

 

[Ali1002]

"Like, I totally, like, like him, but I don't, like, like like him."

I understand what you mean but in my case, it doesn't have two commas. "It's an art form because like, other sports are competing. This is simply performing and having fun". And it may be important to say that this sentence was said by a teenager.

 

[bubbha]

It looks like it's from a transcript of someone's spoken words. Using "like" as a placeholder is relatively common in informal speech. It's not something you would find in formal writing.

It's usually meaningless, and serves as a pause so the speaker can think of what to say next, but its connotation is "what I am about to say should not be taken to be a precise, well-thought-out statement".

 

[Ali1002]

Sorry to bother you, I was thinking about the modal markers. In my opinion, if you wanted to rephrase her statement in clear terms, it would be: "It's an art form because we do not compete. People doing acrobatics, for example, are doing a sport because they compete. Circus performers are NOT competing." Am I wrong? With respect!

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I've just read an article about the use of the word "like" in English sentences. One of the use, is as a modal marker. To quote: "A person says this in a context in which the news is unwelcome to the hearer, and this was either mentioned before or, just as likely, is unstatedly obvious. The like acknowledges ... the discomfort. It softens the blow—that is, eases—by swathing the statement in the garb of hypotheticality that the basic meaning of like lends." So, what do you think? Is this use of like as a modal marker in my thread? I hope you understand what I mean. Regards!

That's interesting. I'd never heard of modal markers. But it's not how "like" is used in your example. It's not a modal marker there.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I understand what you mean but in my case, it doesn't have two commas. "It's an art form because like, other sports are competing. This is simply performing and having fun". And it may be important to say that this sentence was said by a teenager.

Said or written? You can't say a comma, you can only write one. If it was written, the writer doesn't know how to use commas.

Always keep this in mind when reading or listening to English: We native English speakers spend many years formally studying our own language. In the US, most of us study it for at least twelve years. Yet most adults still make mistakes.

So don't assume that just because one of us said or wrote something, it's correct.

For example, another student here, Kingston, often asks questions about movie dialogue. But almost all the quotes Kingston posts are ungrammatical. Why? Because English speakers are ungrammatical!

 

[Ali1002]

Here
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/11/the-evolution-of-like/507614/

 

[Ali1002]

Here
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/11/the-evolution-of-like/507614/

Sorry, I don't know how to link that website address to here!