The use of the word like has certainly stirred up some controversy in my life, based on my mother's grammar-royale lessons and the various ways I've come to interpret language.
Language is an expression of who we are, who we aspire to be, and how we hold social power both as individuals and within our communication networks. So how is the oft-hated "like" an expression of self?
"Like," as well as "um," serve to fill space and to avoid scary silence. As a simple filler, it could be said that "like" becomes a sound devoid of any of its official definitions. However, upon note that in Colombian spanish "como" is used as a similar filler, perhaps a new hypothesis can come forth. "Como," like "like" functions to create the simile. The simile, by creating a comparison, adds relativity to a statement, avoiding the boldness of a concrete declaration. "It is like a hot day" compares the day to a hot day, instead of the more forceful "It is a hot day." Therefore, the adolescent "It's, like, a hot day" could be thought of as a simile, as the speaker shies away from the declarative.
Viewing "like" in closer detail can teach us more about the psychology of our speakers, instead of just thinking of them as idiots.
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