Sunday, December 11, 2016

Please: can we all just stop saying "I mean"?

I think the title here says it all, but I will expound upon this anyway. Have you noticed how often people these days say "I mean"? If not, just listen for it. You'll be astounded how often you hear it. Today, more often than not, you'll hear people start an answer or a statement with "I mean." It seems to have become the new version of "I think," probably because no one says that anymore. What we hear instead of "I think" is "I feel like."

So, please: help me revive the word "think" and restore it to spoken and written English AND please be mindful of saying "I mean." This phrase should properly be used only to drive home a point that you've already made.  For example:

"I think that people should learn to ______ more often. It's a really effective way to ______. I mean, how better to ______ than that!"

So, please: let's all wean ourselves from "I mean." I mean, it's getting old.