Why do we some of us close every statement with, "You know what I mean?"?

I think it’s a sign on some insecurity on the speaker’s part. you know what I mean?

I don’t know why, but it drives me nuts!! I especially hate it when newscasters do it.

I prefer to use “nah mean?!”

j/k

I think it’s simply a bad speach habit. Like, some people are always saying it. Have you noticed…ahhh… how people like use the word issue to mean problem? It’s…..ahhhh…well like you know what I mean?

I think that people who are constantly looking for agreement with your statements are insecure (like someone else already mentioned) and need a lot of validation for what they say because they are unsure of it themselves. Lack of self-esteem too.

That is somewhat of a pet peeve for me because I find it annoying to constantly have to keep verbally “petting” the person speaking which can sometimes become all about them and there is no communicating, just monologue.

Probably because deep down inside we know that he/she has absolutely no idea what we mean!

Yeah could be worse if that sentence were to end with “like” I heard it can mean a person isn’t sure what they are saying & consequently is asking for approval, kind of reaching.You kno…..oops freudian slip.

Wanting your approval. its like asking a drunk to sit down in the back seat of a police car and saying “okay”?

Its a really bad habbit, or the person barley knows what they are saying and hopes the other one knows more about it :D..I always say like.To me its a step up from um. Or the person wants you to agree or approve of what your saying.You know what I mean?

I think some of you are over thinking it a bit. its probably just a bad habit. Lots of people say one phrase or another a lot without even realizing it. One overused phrase of mine ” I know right!” Silly but sometimes I don’t even think about it.

I use it sometimes to be sure someone understood what I was saying. Most often I use it with my son. If I don’t ask that I will ask “do you understand”.

I mostly say it when I’ve made a statement that could be misunderstood. “You know what I mean” gives the other person an opening to say, “no, I don’t” without feeling embarrassed.

Not insecurity. More a reflexive statement where a person is checking in with the other to see if they are paying attention. It’s a good idea to throw in little questions here and there to make sure you haven’t lost someone. However, if you use the same one all the time, it loses it’s effect. Know what I mean?

@OK, I know what all you guys mean! :-)

I heard Joe Sestak, the Democratic candidate that beat Senator Arlen Spector in the primary for the Pennsylvania senatorial seat, give an interview to a newscaster this week. I believe that he managed to work “At the end of the day…” into every single sentence he uttered surring the entire interview. Maybe he missed one opportunity somewhere along the way, but at the end of the day I was sure tired of hearing “at the end of the day.”

@ETpro that’s what you get for listening to politicians

@wundayatta Good point, and I don’t even get to vote in PA.

I don’t. I hear when others do it and I do not use phrases like this, or “Do you hear me?” or “Ya know what I’m saying’?” I try to keep my speech clear of slang and redundancies like this.

In the UK it’s mostly a London thing so I don;t hear it much round here. Except the way that say it, sounds more like “naah-ah-mean?”

@downtide Hehehe, I guess you can add “Yaaaa-ah-mean?” to that.

Here in the Bay we say “Yadadamean?”

:P

I think @wundayatta explained the usage of it perfectly. It’s to make sure the other person is listening, although, really, it’s done out of complete habit for most people. Yadadafeelme?