So, you know, young women are totally at the forefront of creativity in language

So, like, does it bother you the way some people speak?

Some of us use what are called "discourse markers" in conversation. A linguistics professor at Seattle Pacific University says discourse markers have been part of our language for years.

Kathryn Bartholomew teaches linguistics at Seattle Pacific University. She said these discourse markers have been part of our daily interactions for years.

“Communication is difficult if we’re not using discourse markers,” Bartholomew said. “Starting a sentence with ‘I mean’, can be a filler, a pause for time. We’ve always relied on something like that.”

She said texting could be viewed not as “a form of writing but rather a form of speech.”

And this: “Young women tend to be at the forefront of creativity in language.”