Do you know anyone who says "um" a lot?

Question

I have a tutor for one of my courses this semester and she says "um" a great deal. She can't speak more than three or four words without saying it. Even if she's reading a passage of a novel, she says "um" during the reading.

She's also incredibly quiet. You have to really listen and even then, you miss a word or two of what she says.

She's a great tutor and super smart, but it's odd that she became a tutor with public speaking skills like that.

I've never met anyone who says "um" so much.

What about you, people of Y!A?

Answer 1

I had a lecturer once who took a few sentences to warm up. His first sentence was always "Today, we're errrrr, going to um, look at uhhhh ..." But then he found his rhythm.



I can't think of anyone who ums and ahs as much as that though.

Answer 2

Yeah I have a friend who does that. You can take her in private and tell her to make a quick speech. Once she's finished tell her to recite it. Every time she says um scream um at her.











Problem Solved.

Answer 3

Better than...right on...my sister drives me up the wall because after every sentence I say, she adds Right On...she is my older sister and tries to be positive...drives me totally bananas. I think these "um", "huhuh", "ok"and "right on" are just nervous habits. People don't do well with hesitation so they feel obligated to say "um" etc.

Answer 4

Not "um".however I do know someone who say's "ya know" every four words and it gets on your nerves after a while.The person doesn't even know she is doing it, Iv'e never said anything to her about it.I just go through the rest of the day thinking ya know, ya know, ya know?

Answer 5

Your speech Prof. is full of crap. Every word has a meaning. Who is she to tell you different? I want you to do something and say the word nice every time you are around her just to piss her off. That'll teach her to say whether words have a meaning or not. Stupid college Professors think that they know everything about everything.

Answer 6

I have a friend who says it all the time.

I don't say 'um' a lot.

Answer 7

My husband says 'um' frequently. Drives me nuts!

Answer 8

Robin from How I Met Your Mother.

Answer 9

I do, myself :( I think it's because if you feel nervous or feel that you need to "fill out" the conversation...um...

Answer 10

It is a punctuation pause to gather ones thoughts. Now to consider another thoughtless and perhaps just pure ig--nor--ant is the constantly repeated phrase."Do ya know wat I mean?" That is solid redundancy.

Answer 11

Um me..

Answer 12

um let me think, me?

Answer 13

yes,my best friend.she always starts her sentence with umm...

Answer 14

my sister

Answer 15

nope