David McCullough Urges BC Graduates To Speak Properly: Cut The "Like!"

NEWTON, Mass. — Pulitzer Prize winning author David McCullough has a suggestion for what young people can do for their country.

"Please, please do what you can to cure the verbal virus that seems increasingly rampant among your generation," McCullough implored Boston College's class of 2008 at commencement ceremonies Monday.

He said he's particularly troubled by the "relentless, wearisome use of words" such as like, awesome and actually.

"Just imagine if in his inaugural address John F. Kennedy had said, 'Ask not what your country can, you know, do for you, but what you can, like, do for your country actually," he said.

Graduates apparently thought his speech was, like, awesome. They gave him a standing ovation.

Comments

[cmaff05]

I'm sure McCollough spoke like a Pulitzer Prize winner when he was a youngster. *snark*

[Drjimmy72296]

What a tool.

We're living in the f--king end times and he's worried about the decline of conversational English?

[chrislarry]

Amen......­I guess we should ask ourselves "what would John Adams do?"

[AnnArky]

John Adams wouldn't have wasted his time blogging (aka, whining and complaining).

[sizzla]

Like I totally agree with you. Actually we are entering into a time of declining water and energy resources. Like articulation will be the least of our worries as the sh*t hit's the fan dude.

[ylpatriot]

Well, would be nice if we could leave this world as classy individuals.

[AfzaalKhan]

If u cant speak properly noone going to listen to your message. If u want ppl to change and want them to do something abt "end of times", how abt being articulate so they can understand you better and can join the cause.

[rleroygordon]

Starting with writing in complete sentences, using correct spelling and grammar, and tossing "texpeak".

[ConnectTheDots]

I'm sorry. What did you just say?

[shinybear]

You sound like the crass product of teaching to the test.

The day we give up on the beauty of the English language (and all other languages) is the day we are really doomed.

If you're willing to give up language what are you going to give up next?

Art? Music? Rational thought?

[illinoisan]

It's a colloquialism, BEEEATCH!

[frank3373]

Yes, but one that makes the speaker sound like an idiot. (Come to think of it, go ahead and use it. It allows for self-ident­ification)­.

[CitizenRob]

I grew up in LA and "Like" is used so commonly there that it took years for me to break the habit when I moved away. Unfortunately the minute I'm reminded of it though it comes right back. Yeeesh.

The one that has always ALWAYS indicated a lack of education to me is "Ya know what I'm sayin?" sprinkled through the sentences of most professional athletes and hip hop stars as though it were gold in a bottle of Goldschlager. It is without a doubt the biggest indicator that the person you are talking to is a complete and utter brain dead zombie.

[ObamAtomic]

I being cynical,,,, *,like* kevin James *actually* his performance on tv
no awesome at all, Kevin James are you a real lawyer?

[bdd]

whatever.

[research]

And uh, like, you know, uh....

To all of you trying break this habit:

You are stalling (probably without realizing it) when you use these phases,

try just pausing and taking a breath.

[chrislarry]

Wow, where is Howard Zinn when you need him! This guy has the chance to address a graduating class and he attacks vernacular­?!?!?!?!?!­?! Could anything be less relevant? Whats next how texting lexicon is ruining American society? Video games bringing on WW3? If I had been a graduate I would have puked on my shoes.

[Chuckwheat]

What's the problem, crybaby, feeling verbally stifled?
'Actually' now has all the definitive power of 'uhhh...'
If something isn't actual/actually then I suppose it would be
unreal. Actually is being used in the most redundant manner,
a form of expression for people who see no point in shutting up.

[chrislarry]

sorry chuckwheat by your definition your whole post could be described as "actually"­.....

[faretheewell]

More to the point, the inability to effectively communicate and to organize our thoughts into coherent sentences appears to have also resulted in a dimunition of our critical thinking ability. It used to be the case that political messages were written, thus requiring effort on the part of the recipient to absord and digest the information. Now, our elections boil down to 30 second advertisements. I'm not convinced that our society is richer for the change.

[sizzla]

Relax homie. Instead of over intellectualizing get out there and work with people. Popular culture is always inane and silly wherever you go. Don't be fooled by some romanticized version of history either. Nothing is ever perfect. All change brings pros and cons. I reject the argument that one era was better then another era.

[AfzaalKhan]

8 years of Bush should have taught you being articulate is important. LOL

[lutzi]

The word that I have really begun to hate is "look". Political people have been using it on TV and speeches to replace umm. "Look, the polls are good for..., Look, I think that Barack Obama..., Look, I think that, look... ". Much worse than "Like".

[FogBelter]

You know, when a Bonesman speaks, like, ya better listen up!

[DatelessNerd]

Proper English is the "secret handshake" of educated, successful people in our society. When you learn it, kiddies, doors open for you.

[dm92]

Amen - I make my 2 young children only use proper English in our home.

[voicefromafar]

Right you are.

[GeoLee]

I suspect that if Obama had gone out and delivered speeches full of "you know," "like," "actually," and other such filler words, interspersed with some inappropriate swear words, most noticeably one beginning with the letter "f" instead of his eloquent speeches and wonderful cadence, even more people would question the type of education his followers received. He learned a long time ago that words make a huge difference in success. I absolutely agree proper English is not only the "secret handshake" it is also the quickest indicator of intelligence and determination. to may potential employers lazy speech means lazy work habits, too.

[illinoisan]

Interestingly, although I know the secret handshake and often get past society's gatekeepers with it, the inevitable moment comes when it is revealed that I only have a high school diploma and the kind of self-taught scholarship that Abraham Lincoln worked so hard to attain.

I've found that people who posess a sheet of paper with the right symbols on it can skip not only the secret handshake but also all the bothersome learning that goes with it.

[GeoLee]

And often do skip the learning, sadly. .. Which may be one reason so many jobs have gone to countries where learning is more highly valued than just getting the sheet of paper... Or why our recent immigrants seem to out perform our "native" born high school students.

[frank3373]

I agree. But then how do you explain George Bush?

[ylpatriot]

Daddy's money

[Mij13]

"Like" is the least of it. When you can stand in line at a fast food restaurant in So Cal, and hear the people behind the counter using the f word as they go about their duties, and nobody in the place bats an eye, even a woman with a little boy standing next to me, something's wrong.

[novatom]

OK, while we're on the subject of language, I am really really tired of people referring to women as "guys" Everyone these days is referred to as a "guy" regardless of sex. Last I knew, guys were guys, not women!

[devadasi]

Novatom...­.I totally agree with you. I can't stand it either. This whole 'you guys' thing is so old, so lazy, so pathetic, so American, so ignorant. UGH! I find it absolutely insulting.

[socialdemocracy1968]

That speech was like totally awesome dude.

[CHGORUNR]

Kudos to Mr. McCullough!!! Well stated and a job well done!

The excessive use of "like" is very much a verbal virus of pandemic proportions in the U.S.
I also deplore the use of 'bad' with 'my,' as in 'my bad.' NO, it should be said as 'my mistake.' Or, 'my error.' Or, 'mea culpa.' But, for the love of God, it is NOT 'may bad!'

Frankly, ANYONE can speek like an educated person by simply watching, listening, and modeling their own speech after that of the major network anchors as they read the nightly news.

[foodtube]

You mean ""speak" like an educatd person." Hmmm...

Are you really using network anchors as your model for education? Amazing!

Americans are even dumber than I thought!

[rini]

Like is punctuation, expression, emphasis a noun and a verb. I have, like, no problem with that.

It is the year 2008, Obama might win the presidency and that's, like, totally awesome.

So, like, sue me.

[swamijo]

no it's not 'punctuation' or 'expressio­n'...it only serves to make those who use it in the manner you describe appear to be socially and culturally inept dullards and morons...