Uncool

[poliphilo]

I've noticed I'm saying "cool" a lot. It's become a verbal tic. And shows the brain is running on autopilot. I need to cut it out.

We had a friend who said "rock and roll" every other sentence and we used to mock him for it behind his back (affectionately, I hope.) Well, saying "cool" all the time is exactly the same thing.

Comments

[oakmouse]

I tend to use "cool" and "excellent" and a few other pleasant, friendly words as a sort of phatic communication --- "I hear you but don't have a more specific comment", more or less. I may want to keep an eye on that and make sure it doesn't become too much of an automatism.

(This puts me in mind of John Denver, who as a young man used to say "Far out" all the time. One talk show kept count and told him he used it 19 times in a 90 minute show. I don't want to be that guy, yanno?)

[poliphilo]

Comic characters in books, films and sitcoms are often given verbal tics. It's a time-approved way of getting laughs.

[oakmouse]

"Well gaaaaaaawleeeeeee!"

Time-approved and lazy. :-p