Round Table China Like, um, let's talk about filler words
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Nov 18, 2025 The discussion kicks off with the rising scrutiny on filler words and their role in our speech. Hosts highlight how fillers like 'like,' 'um,' and 'maybe' serve important functions but can make speakers feel insecure. Cultural perceptions of fillers are fascinatingly different, especially across languages. The nuances of 'maybe' as a noncommittal response stir debates about trust, especially with children. Practical tips to reduce fillers include recording speeches and trying no-filler challenges, but the cognitive benefits of fillers are also emphasized.
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Filler Words Are Universal And Functional
- Filler words are universal, ancient, and serve cognitive and conversational functions.
- Rising self-awareness around speech has turned natural fillers into a modern linguistic insecurity.
Fillers Signal Planning And Structure
- Fillers act as placeholders and discourse markers signaling planning or topic shifts.
- They cue listeners that the speaker isn't finished and structure conversation flow.
Interpreter Training Taught Control
- Niu Honglin learned to avoid fillers while training as an interpreter to prevent "dead air."
- She used fillers deliberately to buy thinking time yet was told to clean up her speech.