The two most obnoxious words on Irish radio: "you know"

Rebelheart

This current trend just drives me ballistic. Even eloquent and widely experienced politicians like Pat Rabbitte have to throw these two words around like snuff at a wake in interviews.

Maureen Gaffney in an excellent, and enlightening, interview with Seán Moncrieff last week said "you know" approximately 100 times in the space of her 24-minute-long interview. It was deeply disturbing and a huge minus in her otherwise superb contribution.

It's not limited to the gougers who meet Paddy Gorman outside the dole office with the 'you know what I mean, like, bud, you know, like?".

Have any of you any ideas as to how we can, at least, reduce the usage of these utterly inane and vacuous two words on Irish radio? How about a 'bleep' policy until we drive these "you know" hoors from intelligent discourse on Irish radio?

Fuzzy Clam

You know, I agree with you.

Revolution9

I agree with you, you know.

ArtSmart

what bout using

ye foller?

instead

huh?

J. Marston

Why would it be ''deeply disturbing''? Someone saying ''you know'' isn't deeply disturbing.
George Hook telling us of his love for Pamela Anderson on the airwaves, now thats deeply disturbing.

Lapin

Rebelheart wrote: »

This current trend just drives me ballistic. Even eloquent and widely experienced politicians like Pat Rabbitte have to throw these two words around like snuff at a wake in interviews.

Maureen Gaffney in an excellent, and enlightening, interview with Seán Moncrieff last week said "you know" approximately 100 times in the space of her 24-minute-long interview. It was deeply disturbing and a huge minus in her otherwise superb contribution.

It's not limited to the gougers who meet Paddy Gorman outside the dole office with the 'you know what I mean, like, bud, you know, like?".

Have any of you any ideas as to how we can, at least, reduce the usage of these utterly inane and vacuous two words on Irish radio? How about a 'bleep' policy until we drive these "you know" hoors from intelligent discourse on Irish radio?

I agree with you here.
I often feel like shouting at the radio when I here the words "You know".

NO, I DON'T FRIGGING KNOW. YOU'RE ON THE RADIO TO EXPLAIN WHY I DON'T KNOW. IF I DID KNOW, I WOULDN'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Another bugbear of mine is the word "Basically".
It means absolutely nothing and there is no need for the word whatsoever. Yet people use at random for no reason at all. Especially on radio.
The use of this word used to drive the late (and great) Mike Dickin on Talksport mad. He often cut people off for using it.

Another thing - And this is a great way of saving some beer money for the weekend!
Try and get the chance to listen to the "Keith Finnegan Show" (Galway Bay FM, weekdays from 10 - midday.) for a week.
Put a Euro into a box every time you hear him utter the words "Indeed" and "Situation".

I guarantee you will have enough to get royally hammered on Friday night and still have enough change for a kebab and a taxi home.

Trust me - I've done it.:)

mikemac

Ever watch a Tipperary hurler being interviewed after a match?
Most every sentence end in "you know". It's not something to be proud of

I was watching the excellent TG4 Seachtar na Casca and one of commentators was also throwing in the "you know".
Annoyed me

Lapin wrote: »

Another bugbear of mine is the word "Basically".

In the current ecomonic climate....

Never was a phrase so overused

Trick of the Tail

Tony Blair used to say 'you know', he also used to say things like 'in times of economic hardship you have to make tough decisions and you have to put up with a lot of criticism...'.

His spin doctors were very clever. Using the phrase 'you know' and the word 'you' when really he should have said 'we' is projecting himself to the listener and making them feel sympathetic towards him, as they're unconsciously putting themselves in his shoes.

Once you notice this and realise whats going on, the effect is lost and for me anyway, makes the speaker sound even more untrustworthy.

(I used to find myself shouting at the TV "No, _I_ don't have to put up with criticism, YOU do!")

However do you think our politicians are saying this because they have very clever advisors who have trained them to?

No. Its because they are really not very good speakers, and are belying their poor skills and often lack of intelligence.

And I don't want to be governed by people who I perceive to be lacking in intelligence, poorly advised or untrustworthy.

Some people in the UK moan about David Cameron's upper class accent and Oxford education. Well I'd rather have a well-spoken, highly educated man as my country's leader than some idiot who can't speak properly.

A.

GSF

Oh I know! as Sybil Fawlty used to say........

Dub Ste

I have to say,the two words that really get my back up of late,when spoken by Cowen and his shower,are "Going Forward":mad::mad::mad:

Sids Not

Mine are...."I'm like".....or "he/she's like"........Maybe its because i'm like...old...:rolleyes:

Cole

Well, it's actually basically like absolutely fantaaaaastic, you know!

ArtSmart

gonna vote for 'current economic climate'
it's become the blanket word for any policy initiatives, no matter how crazy.

an thigim tu?* -

*( used to be used everywhere. )

gbee

Gbee interviewer: “And now Mr Einstein welcome to the GBEE Broadcasting Service. Today we are going to talk about quantum physics and the effect it has on the understanding to the origin of the species with reference to the global distribution of precious metals and how that effected the livelihoods of the indigenous peoples who evolved there! Over to you Albert”

Albert interviewee: “Well I’m delighted to be here as an expert in the field of reciprocity and you know….!”


Gbee interviewer: “No I don’t *****n know! That’s why I asked an expert like yourself to come on the show” “If I know I’m terminating the interview and I’m paying myself your fee, now f**k off!”

Rebelheart

J. Marston wrote: »

Why would it be ''deeply disturbing''? Someone saying ''you know'' isn't deeply disturbing.

It is very much disturbing when it is being used incessantly by the same person. When I'm giving the speaker the benefit of the doubt and trying to listen to their content they persist in undermining that content by interjecting themselves every couple of sentences, or even every sentence, with this dim 'you know'. It offers nothing but disturbs and undermines any content they might have. After all, if they keep thoughtlessly using it, how much thought have they put into their ideas.

It replaces my initial curiosity with infuriation that this sub-standard, lazy performance permeates far too many, if not most, interviews on Irish radio today.

Rebelheart

Lapin wrote: »

NO, I DON'T FRIGGING KNOW. YOU'RE ON THE RADIO TO EXPLAIN WHY I DON'T KNOW. IF I DID KNOW, I WOULDN'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Precisely. Thank you.

Rebelheart

feelingstressed wrote: »

I was watching the excellent TG4 Seachtar na Casca and one of commentators was also throwing in the "you know".
Annoyed me



In the current ecomonic climate....

Never was a phrase so overused

Some ceolán ('incessant, silly, talker'- Ó Dónaill) was on with Kenny about six months back saying 'you know' all the time so I switched over to RnaG - it's nearly always a refreshing break - but this one time Seán Bán had this one on talking about an upcoming event she was organising and to my horror she kept inserting 'you know' among all the Irish and poor Seán Bán was reduced to 'tá fhios agam' each time. He was far too polite to her.

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

Dub Ste

Another two obnoxious words I hate to hear



Des Bishop :mad:

constitutionus

Sids Not wrote: »

Mine are...."I'm like".....or "he/she's like"........Maybe its because i'm like...old...:rolleyes:

+1

or to be precise "loike", liberally peppered throughout any given sentences.

that blonde girl that went out with flately, lisa something or other, is FOREVER on talk radio abusing the hell out of that word.

does my heard right in.

Trick of the Tail

And those two embarrassing dimwits collectively known as 'Jedward' seem to be on a mission to include the word 'like' as many times as possible per sentence.

Oh, for a gun. With two bullets.

A.

Greenman

The classic RTE one is "tank you INDEED" whats this indeed word? Marion is the worst offender.

30txsbzmcu2k9w

hearing "Absolutely" after an answer = Alarm bells ringing that this will be a poor interview :mad:

dh0661

You know like ---yea yea no.

Drive me nuts, along with all others that have been mentioned.

Rebelheart

There was a woman named Niamh on the John Murray Show this morning and she was absolutely enthralling, one of the most interesting people that I've heard on radio in a long time. She was talking about Limerick's regeneration project (about which she had just written a book) and about the structure of ganglands in Limerick and how even the youngest children are sucked into it.

I will read her book.

However, having said all of that she took away greatly from her interview by incessantly saying "you know". I didn't know, and that was precisely why she was so interesting. I wanted to know so please stop telling me "you know". I wouldn't be listening to you if I knew!

Duh.

RubyRoss

I have to say

Why do people say they have to say what they are about to say?

It's horrible and I can't listen to Tom Dunne because it (there are other reasons there, of course)

Sids Not

Dear god..if i hear someone else use the phrase "hit the ground running" i swear i'll trip them up and drag their sorry ass's along the f***ing ground...........:mad:

Lapin

Dub Ste wrote: »

I have to say,the two words that really get my back up of late,when spoken by Cowen and his shower,are "Going Forward":mad::mad::mad:

Anyone hear Brendan Howlin on Morning Ireland a few minutes ago?

He was just about to utter the dreaded words when suddenly, like a child trying not to swear, he came out with this gem ! -

"Going brief pause into the future"

tbh

From Sean O'Rourke "Be that as it may...."
From Ian Dempsey: "At this stage"
From the scobies Paddy O'Gorman talks to: "Turnt around" -as in, "I turnt around and says I says I'm not signing that and he turnt around and says ye bleedin are signing that and so I turnt around and I says no bleedin way. Doye know tha kindofaway?"

LordSutch

Rebelheart wrote: »

This current trend just drives me ballistic. Even eloquent and widely experienced politicians like Pat Rabbitte have to throw these two words around like snuff at a wake in interviews.

Maureen Gaffney in an excellent, and enlightening, interview with Seán Moncrieff last week said "you know" approximately 100 times in the space of her 24-minute-long interview. It was deeply disturbing and a huge minus in her otherwise superb contribution.

It's not limited to the gougers who meet Paddy Gorman outside the dole office with the 'you know what I mean, like, bud, you know, like?".

Have any of you any ideas as to how we can, at least, reduce the usage of these utterly inane and vacuous two words on Irish radio? How about a 'bleep' policy until we drive these "you know" hoors from intelligent discourse on Irish radio?

'In Studio' are the two most annoying words on Irish Radio & TV for me, Why? because they're so bleedin obvious, and they are uttered several times in every bleedin interview. Like 'hello' I am interviewing this person in a Studio, so I'll say 'In Studio' just in case the listeners thing the interview is in the car park? :eek:

'In Studio' are the two words that really drive me mad

Crystalset

'I suppose'

'Well look'

The Irish conditional as in 'I would have been the person who he dealt with on a lot of these matters.' (a quote in the Irish Times)

'Sortalikeyouknow.'

barneygumble

"The reality is..."

"Obviously"

"I s'pose"

P. Breathnach

Some people are very easily annoyed.

Sids Not

P. Breathnach wrote: »

"Some people are very easily annoyed."

Cant say i've heard that one.........................:D

Rebelheart

The "you know" disease is still spreading like wildfire. Maureen Gaffney has some very interesting things to say and I could genuinely listen to her for Ireland.

But by Jesus does she take away from everything she says by her "you know" every second or third sentence. Surely to God almighty she listens back to her radio performances and realises the "you know" detracts from her content?

Ironically for a psychologist, her overuse of those words is an appeal to be accepted by her audience as a person at an emotional rather than as a professional at an intellectual level. All you "you know" people could do worse than reflect on that.

You know: fúck off. Thank you. :mad:

snubbleste

'like'
There was this contributor on the Joe Duffy show at some point and every fourth word was 'like' in a deep Cork accent. It was unbelieveable, I don't think she even realised she was saying it.
I kept reminiscing involuntarily about her nasal tone for the next month.

I'd like to meet the PR guru behind 'the reality is', 'going forward' and 'infacta'

withless

I spotted the 'you know' thing years ago; Tony Blair started it. I am owed serious Internet dollars.

Technocentral

I thought Adrian Kennedy was the two words?

LordSutch

"In Studio" does my head in, always has done since it appeared on Irish airwaves about twelve years ago (approx). It now endemic among nearly all Irish radio & television presenters. I mean what would happen if Pat Kenny (or any other Irish Radio presenter) didn't welcome the guest as being "In Studio"? might we think the interview was being conducted in the green room?

I also agree about 'You Know' its also endemic.

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

Shinkicker64

Folk say that a lot in Scotland too. Usually "Ye know?" or even just "Kno'?" or sometimes "Ye know kinna thing?" or "kno wha' ah mean?"

Lapin

Shinkicker64 wrote: »

Folk say that a lot in Scotland too. Usually "Ye know?" or even just "Kno'?" or sometimes "Ye know kinna thing?" or "kno wha' ah mean?"

Ken man ?

steelcityblues

Sometimes it can be annoying to hear. But if anyone here ever listens to BBC5 Live's sports coverage, they might know former England international Jimmy Armfield using the two words regularly in his noticeable Lancashire accent, and he actually makes it quite endearing .....y'know.