So...Uh, and Everything Like That…Right?
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You know what I mean?
Right?
Mmkay?
Excessive use of filler words and phrases (e.g., um, mmkay?, right?, ah, like, so, err, you know what I mean) distract the audience, communicate anxiety, and diminish fluency. It also becomes very noticeable when a speaker uses the same filler word or phrase frequently. Scholars call these filler words and phrases “filled pauses” (e.g., uh, um), “discourse markers” (e.g., I mean, you know, like), or “disfluencies.” (1) Some studies have found that they can also lower the listener’s perceptions of you as knowledgeable. (2) A space filler here or there (in our opinion, an average of 2–3 per minute) is not a significant issue. However, some scholars have found that “when filler words occur, the comprehension of the listener can be jeopardized or limited, causing the speaker to lose credibility further. The most effective speech occurs when filler words are used moderately.” (3) To curb excessive fillers, researchers have shown that awareness training can improve this habit. (4)
Some presenters may be entirely unaware that they used 20 space fillers in the first 5–7 minutes, which diminishes credibility and clouds a speaker’s message. If you pay close attention, you will notice that speakers often begin with a space filler: “Um, it’s ah, good to be with you today” or “So, ah, it’s good to be with you today!” Another typical spot for space fillers is between slides (“Um, the next slide shows…”). The third occurs during the formal Q & A (even Maria unconsciously defaults to “Um” at the beginning of an answer to a question—not because she doesn’t know the answer, but she is verbally taking a moment to formulate her response. It’s not the best habit, but it’s common!). In addition to single-word space fillers, you may also notice speakers using filler phrases. These are phrases that are unknowingly over-used in the context of the talk (e.g., “Does that make sense?,” “and such,” “you know what I mean?,” “and everything like that,” and “to be honest”).
Eliminating space fillers is a difficult task and takes practice. We find that practicing in advance and becoming more familiar with your material could increase your confidence and reduce space fillers. In addition, intentionally slowing down your pace of speech and pausing before you begin speaking or answering a question could give you a moment to think about how you want to start your next point instead of starting with a space filler.
Developmental Tips
We have found that decreasing your speaking pace helps speakers be more intentional with word choice and often reduces space fillers.
Fill the “pause” in speaking with silence, not a word or phrase.
Pause/remain silent before answering questions and in between slides.
Work with a coach to actively help you eliminate filler words and phrases (ask someone listening to you live to count, and tally on a piece of paper—watching them record tick marks each time you use a filler word or phrase will be enlightening for you!).
Write down the word/phrase you use too often on a piece of paper or sticky note to remind you to avoid it. If visual cues help, you could also write down a key phrase that you’d want to use instead: “The information presented on this next slide…”, for example, or “That is an excellent question. I believe that…”.
Use technology, such as the Captovation platform, as a practice and reflection tool to help build your awareness and quantify progress.
As with all the recommendations we have consistently made in these blog posts, intentional practice and a willingness to see your weaknesses highlighted (whether through the Captovation system or by a listener) are the primary ways that you will grow. You must devote time and attention to practicing and remind yourself that this is a process. You may be able to diminish your space fillers with each presentation, and that is a more reasonable and rewarding goal than setting a goal of “eliminating them.” Right? You know what we mean?
References
Laserna, C. M., Seih, Y. T., & Pennebaker, J. W. (2014). Um...who like says you know: Filler word use as a function of age, gender, and personality. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 33(3), 328–338.
Brennan, S. E., & Williams, M. (1995). The feeling of another’s knowing: Prosody and filled pauses as cues to listeners about the metacognitivestates of speakers. Journal of Memory and Language, 34(3), 383–398.
Duvall, E. D., Robbins, A. S., Graham, T. R., & Divett, S. (2014). Exploring filler words and their impact. Schwa. Language & Linguistics, 11, 44.
Montes, C. C., Heinicke, M. R., & Geierman, D. M. (2019). Awareness training reduces college students’ speech disfluencies in public speaking. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 52(3), 746–755.
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We explore this topic and others in our new book Captovation: Online Presentations by Design.