While filler words can help conversations flow, research suggests overusing them may signal uncertainty or a shaky command of the material (or language in general). In professional settings—like work ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. As someone who’s originally from Southern California and now lives in the South, it’s not uncommon for me to get Valley girl ...

How often do you use these word whiskers and phrases in your public speaking and presentations? Um. Ah. Well. I mean. You know. Like. Absolutely. Whether on Zoom or in person, it is easy to lean on ...

Instead of texting, my friends and I send each other voice memos. They’re like a mini podcast to listen to on my way to class, but I usually cringe when I listen back to a few of my own and hear the ...

This problem is more common than you may think, and the fact that you've realized it—and want to fix it—is great. It's cliché, but the first step is admitting you have a problem! In general, we use ...

“Filler words are part of your mental dictionary, even things like um or uh,” said Dr. Idan Blank, assistant professor of psychology and linguistics at the University of California, Los Angeles.

(CNN) — As someone who’s originally from Southern California and now lives in the South, it’s not uncommon for me to get Valley girl comments. I have a habit of throwing in a quick “you know, like” or ...