Sometimes "like" really is meaningless
In response to
Tlogmer's point: its true that there are many, emerging uses of 'like' that are not meaningless, such as "inspecifity" (Tlogmer probably meant "in-
specificity"),
hyperbole, and
quotation. The
Oxford English Dictionary documents all these and more; there 6 different entries for "like", and the entry dealing with
Tlogmer's point contains an astounding total of 58 different meanings and sub-meanings! In spite of all these possible meanings, the
OED finds it impossible to deny that sometimes, "like" is used "Also,
colloq. (orig.
U.S.), as a meaningless interjection or expletive.". Nor is this a recent
phenomenon. Examples go back as far as "1840-41 DE QUINCEY
Style II. Wks. 1862 X. 224 ‘Why like, it's gaily nigh like to four mile like’" and include "1973
Black Panther 17 Nov. 9/4 What will be the
contradictions that produce further
change? Like, it seems to me that it would be virtually impossible to avoid some contradictions."
Source
"like, a., adv. (conj.), and n.2 ", Oxford English Dictionary. Ed. J. A. Simpson and E. S. C. Weiner. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989. OED Online. Oxford University Press. 19 Oct. 2002. <http://oed.com/cgi/entry/00133224>