Male speakers often tend to speak at a normal or even overly slow pace, taking time between each sentence/thought in order to carefully select the words they want to use. Female speakers, on the other hand, often rush and trip over their words in their hurry to say them. Obviously this is related to how men feel entitled to speak and comfortable in the knowledge that what they have to say is of value and will be patiently listened to by others (while women do not), but I also think this is why (mostly young) women are more associated with the word ‘like’ than men are. While men speak slowly and select their words, women feel this pressure to continue speaking without breaks (gotta express the thought fast lest people get bored/want us to shut up or interrupt), and so adding in some ‘like’s here and there, rather than speaking slowly, allows time to think about what we’re gonna say next rather than pausing too long and subsequently being steamrolled over by another voice.
(via lishra)
