We’ve been watching a video series at church as part of our Bible study class. It’s a series about the development of the Christian church service. In the video, the presenter is Arthur Just, a professor from Concordia Seminary in Fort Wayne. I’ve enjoyed the content a lot. But I noticed the most astounding thing a few weeks ago: On this recorded lecture, where he is standing in front of a church and talking for hours about church history, he never says: “Um”. When I first noticed, I thought I must be wrong, so I started watching for it. Nope.
So I decided I’d try it. Can I drop the word “Um” from my vocabulary? I’ve been working on it for a couple of weeks now. It’s going pretty well. It means there are moments of silence during my lectures or explanations in the classroom, but I don’t think they are any more distracting than um’s would be.
Then I noticed I was doing something else: I frequently start sentences with “Okay!” I say: “Okay! Turn to page fifty-two.” or “Okay! Everybody sit down.” or “Okay! Let’s stop dragging Tyler across the floor.” So I want to get rid of “Okay” as an exclamation. It’s harder, but I’m making progress. Telling my students that I’m trying to stop has helped.
How fun it is to mess with vocabulary and speech patterns! Maybe some day soon I will be “um free” and “okay restrained”. If I ever get there, I wonder what to try next. An accent? Adding made-up words?
Dang it, now you’re going to talk perfectly.
I’m aware of a couple of vocal oddities, but there are probably more that I have no idea are happening. The only one I can think of now is that when I say ‘alright’, I’m ready to be done with the conversation/event/whatever. When I start saying ‘alrighty’, I am really ready to be done.
Yeah Lauren, I’ve noticed several times when speaking to you that you use the word alrighty a lot.
Brad, I overuse the same two words, but mostly during transitions or getting started.
I like um & okay. They go together like a horse & carriage. Trying to proper yourself all up for your upcoming trip?
http://www.splicd.com/H56fUCULkvg/475/506
Now that is funny!
The overuse of the word honestly bugs me. In conversation, they’ll be talking, then pause, then say “Honestly, blah, blah, blah.” Wouldn’t they be talking honestly with me in the first place? Ugh.
Seriously is another one of those overused words. Think before you speak, people. Seriously.
The land speed record for use of the word “Um” is currently held by Professor Vern Klotz. Who, in 1986 successfully uttered the word 634 times in the course of a 50 minute class period. He was such a good teacher that no one really cared.
A few years ago my students pointed out that I said, “As it turns out” far more often than was strictly necessary. As it turns out, that just made it more fun to say.
One of our colleagues was caught using “That having been said…” frequently on a taped training session for the dreaded Blackbaud applications we use at school for everything except doing laundry…but I digress. I guess my point, Brad, is this: next time, warn me before you make me laugh until I need the inhaler (“Okay, stop dragging Tyler across the floor…”) – dnag it, here I go again! Cough, cough, wheeze, fade to black…
P.S. Thurman has had Dr. Just for some on-line courses he’s had to take with the SMP program…might even have been the ones on worship, now that I think on it. I don’t recall any reflections on the Umless Wonder, though, as the notes are sent by Blackboard – not to be confused with the Black Hole Formerly Known as Blackbaud – so I doubt he would type with, like, frequent filler and stuff….but then, uh, I could be wrong and all.
P.P.S. So…what do you think of his take on liturgy BTW?
Two thoughts for you guys on this one…
1) I never realized how much I said “Um” until Anna started babbling. She would sit in the tub and “babble, babble, babble, umm, babble, babble, babble, babble, umm.” Oh dear.
2) A year ago we had a new guy start at the bank with the sole purpose of getting more commercial checking accounts with the bank (50 million to be exact). He started using two phrases that drive me nuts – “Flip the switch” and “Pull the trigger.” And now I hear more and more people say at work. I’m afraid it might drive me to find other employment.